Smartphones, Blogs and Websites: IoT in the Pocket, and Everywhere

Going by the accepted definition of The Internet of Things, the Smartphone is an underrated or neglected but integral node in IoT, even though it's hand-held. Ama? Let's face it, security agencies know this only too well, and profit from it in day-to-day surveillance and "The War" -- against everyTHING.

By the same token, every website and every blog and every such Thing which is set up to transmit and receive and even autonomously respond to certain signals 24/7 -- that is, without active participation by the 'owner' -- is an IoT sender, receiver or terminal/terminator.

Anecdote:
In an apparent lapse in mobile-phone (not necessarily smartphone) transmission protocols nearly a decade ago now, I believe, 'everyone' in Nairobi began receiving messages on their phones about their 'current' locations. It was 'worse' for motorists. Whenever you turned into the next road or street, you got the message. We, collectively, didn't like the idea that Big Brother was trailing, and knew exactly where we were at any moment. I was personally more intrigued than upset, actually.

There was a public outcry, and the 'glitch' was sorted out soon enough. Everyone was relieved. Glitch? No, "Back To The Future." Nowadays, of course, most Kenyans who follow the news know that individuals -- law-abiding or 'criminal' -- can be tracked by security authorities through their phones.