On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), which is internationally celebrated on 15 March, the Grenada Organisation for Consumer Affairs (GrenOCA) will host a public forum at the Grenada Boys Secondary School (GBSS) on the theme ‘Trusted smart products.’
The main objective of the forum is to discuss how smart technology is changing the nature of products and services consumers use and how these new products are affecting their lives. There will also be an update of consumer education and awareness within the Grenadian society.
GrenOCA will also host media appearances on the local media and exchanges with students from primary and secondary schools as part of the activities for WCRD 2019. GrenOCA is also expected to partner with other local stakeholders.
Worldwide there are 23.1 billion connected devices and these are expected to triple in five years’ time. Consumers need to be aware of the opportunities and threats of connected technology or they will be vulnerable to security and privacy attacks. Here in Grenada there are approximately 3 to 4 cell phones per person.
The forum on 15 March begins at 5 pm and will also feature updates on consumer awareness in Grenada and the region. Speakers at the forum include Senator Ron Redhead, GrenOCA’s Vice President, Milton Coy, consumer advocate and GrenOCA’s President and Curlan Gilchrist, GrenOCA’s executive member.
Another important theme is users’ privacy and data protection. Consumers need to be aware that by connecting any physical device to the internet there is always some degree of digital security risk, and where personal data is involved, to potential privacy challenges.
Hacking risks are another common issue with smart products. Consumers need to be well inÂformed about the precautions they should take to avoid such risks and should also know what to do when their devices are hacked. Cybercrime and how to avoid falling victim to cybercriminals will also be discussed during the forum.
Grenada Organisation for Consumer Affairs (GrenOCA)…The local consumer advocates!