Every tenth inhabitant of Russia gives names to personal and home devices

Most often, robot vacuum cleaners get nicknames. These are the results of a survey by Kaspersky Lab. It is dedicated to people’s attitude to modern technologies, including various gadgets. The survey was commissioned by Kaspersky Lab in 2022. A total of 1008 people were interviewed.

Many people treat home devices as if they were sentient beings. For example, they ask you to start working again when they break. This is what 42% of respondents do. Of these, 68% talk to smartphones, 54% to laptops, 45% to TVs, 22% to electric kettles and coffee machines, and 16% to robot vacuum cleaners.

People often use digital devices for many years. These are purchases that play an important role in everyday life. No wonder owners get used to them. Half of those surveyed feel empathy for their devices if they get damaged, dropped or broken.

The author of these lines watched as her grandson had a serious conversation with the voice assistant Alice – he asked her questions, and she answered them. The dialogue was long and very interesting.

“Often, people trust robotic systems and share all sorts of information with gadgets. Some time ago, we conducted an experiment in which a delivery robot tried to get into a room that could only be accessed with personal key cards. Those around him willingly helped him. This happened near the research center, so the delivery robot was not surprising – local employees are used to such innovations. As part of another experiment, the robot involved people in a friendly conversation, as a result, he was able to lure out a variety of information. Sometimes it could be non-obvious, such as the brand of the first car. However, even malefactors can use it in their schemes,” Kaspersky Lab experts note.

But the hero of the American science fiction melodrama “She” directed and written by Spike Jonze, the writer Theodore, “twisted” an affair with his voice assistant.

However, experiments prove that users should be critical of what information they share. Probably, many have come across phone scammers imitating robotic calls. This is a prime example of how attackers exploit people’s trust in automated systems.

Nina DONSKIKH.

Photo senivpetro / Freepik