http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... -home.html


Why should social workers ever need this? I can see the need to for the utilities to inform the police of very heavy demand which could be cannabis farms.

I can only assume they meant the benefits fraud branch of "social worker" - in which case I'm more for it.

What a repulsive idea. It used to be in this Country that the State stopped at the door.

I don't think this will really change anything in terms of personal privacy TBH. It's already possible to issue a court order to get access to your utility bills. If you have a 'smart meter' it would still require a court order to examine the data it fed back due to the restrictions of the DPA. It just means the data would be more 'granular' i.e. the would be able to see how much electricity you were using at any given time of the day rather than just over a metering period. I'm not sure what you could be able to tell from that other then the most obvious assumptions.

A bigger issue is the utility companies will be able to use smart meters to 'improve efficiency' by making all the people who do the meter readings redundant. And that smart meters most likely won't be used in the way they can be that benefits the customer, just in the way that best benefits the supplier.

Jon

See I have a conflict of interest there - when it comes to using the self-service machines at supermarkets I'm a luddite and would rather go to a counter and be served - but in this regard, I don't see the harm in doing away with the quite antiquated system of sending people round on foot...

And the meter readers usually only come when you are at work... If they can read the meters without me having to take time off work, or having to fill in a form and send it back, having to take an early lunch, to find a post office that is open...

Most UK utilities will allow you to submit a meter reading via the internet, usually on your online billing page.

However, I recently moved suppliers and when I submitted an electricity meter reading to my new supplier they said it couldn't possibly be that high and arranged for someone to call when I was in. You'd think they'd know by now the likes of us tend to have enough kit to require our own substation .

Jon

Exactly.

I recently moved and the water meter reading was far above what they expected based on the previous customer's "reading" - I guess the previous customer figured they would move before the next company meter check and would save themselves a few quid...

that would be covered by housing benefit. Though I would have thought exceptionally high usage should be a reason for the electric company to contact the police, on the basis that a cannabis farm could be in place. Other than that what benefit would social services gain from electricity usage?

If that is the case, I'll be waiting for them to raid Saspro and find his farm - folding server farm!

As usual, surveillance tech is yet again presented as "helpful". Yes, having people come round has it's own risks and costs. However, allowing the government or big business direct access to information about what goes on in our homes is outrageous and unnecessary.

(my emphasis)

WTF?