Manufacturers will have to follow stricter rules if they want to sell "smart" gadgets in the UK after a new law came into effect. It is desi

Smart gadgets: Tougher rules for sellers of internet-enabled devices in the UK

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2024-04-29 01:30:03

Manufacturers will have to follow stricter rules if they want to sell "smart" gadgets in the UK after a new law came into effect.

It is designed to ensure there is better security around devices such as baby monitors, televisions and speakers that are linked to the internet.

The risks have ballooned in recent years as our houses have filled with more and more web-linked devices - from games consoles to fitness trackers, doorbells and even dishwashers, also sometimes referred to as the "internet of things".

Failure to meet these minimum requirements, known as the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regime, can trigger fines.

The government said the laws were a "world first" that would protect UK consumers and businesses and boost the country's resilience against cybercrime.

The Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said more than half of UK households now had a smart TV and more than half had a voice assistant such as Alexa. It said homes contained an average of nine connected devices.