Raising the Standard at the Global Stage for Innovation

Earlier this month, the Raising the Standard team traveled to Las Vegas to take part in CES, the world’s largest and most influential technology event. CES featured over 4,500 exhibitors showcasing the latest in transformative technologies including 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence, smart home, wearables, IoT, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning and so much more. We were there to educate today’s innovators about the importance of including digital security and privacy best practices in all network-connected products through the adoption of the Digital Standard.

We spoke with more than 200 manufacturers from large companies like Ring, Samsung, and Alibaba, to scores of small startups just breaking into the marketplace. We were able to increase knowledge of the Digital Standard, particularly to companies that have no security expertise. We talked up the importance of making great secure and private products, and pointed people to our online resources that will help them achieve that. The responses we received were overwhelmingly positive; startups in particular know the value of a secure offering in today’s market and were excited about an accessible guide to best practices in the area.

The exhibitor areas were also a unique opportunity to interact with companies from elsewhere around the world, something that has been harder for us in the course of this project. We spoke with people from China, Israel, Mexico, France, and many other countries getting the word out about the Digital Standard.

We were also successful off of the show floor. We attended the Smart Home and Connections panel tracks, where privacy and security were prominent topics of conversation between companies such as Whirlpool, Google, and Phillips. A lot of the networking at CES happens in the evenings and our team handed out cards at receptions for entrepreneurs, the Leaders in Technology dinner, and smart television events.

The Raising the Standard team will continue to work with industry in order to improve the Standard and welcome honest feedback on how to best ensure the Standard protects consumers. To learn more about OTI's Raising the Standard project, visit www.newamerica.org/oti/raising-standard.