The rise of digital housekeeping: the hidden work of smart technology
Every now and then, we might experience our Wi-Fi signal dropping, having to set up a gaming account for the kids, or managing photo storage on our phones.
In all of these examples, we are engaging in digital housekeeping, which is somewhat overlooked in statistics on household chores.
"Everyone engages in digital housekeeping in one form or another. It can be anything from managing photo storage to programming a smart home," says researcher Helene Teigen from Consumption Research Norway (SIFO), OsloMet.
In many households, there’s one partner—usually the man—who has introduced the technology, while the rest of the household members must learn to live with the gadgets that are bestowed upon them. What is it like to live with technology that we haven’t chosen ourselves?
A smart home has appliances that can connect to the internet and be controlled via apps or voice. For example, light bulbs, door locks, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners. Some smart homes also have a voice-controlled smart assistant, such as Google Home or Alexa. Data from the Consumer Council from 2019 shows that one in five consumers has three or more connected products at home.
