Beware, You May Be Outsmarted By Your Own Devices

An Ohio man claimed he was forced into a hasty window escape when his house caught fire last year. His pacemaker data obtained by police showed otherwise, and he was charged with arson and insurance fraud. In Pennsylvania, the authorities dismissed rape charges after data from a woman’s Fitbit contradicted her version of her whereabouts during the 2015 alleged assault. Vast amounts of data collected from our connected devices - fitness bands, smart refrigerators, thermostats and automobiles, among others - are increasingly being used in legal proceedings across the United States to prove or disprove claims by people involved.