The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade announced that it will be holding a hearing on Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. entitled "The Internet of Things: Exploring the Next Technology Frontier.” This is one of the first hearings on this subject this Congress. Witnesses are yet to be announced.

Hanne Melin, with eBay Policy Lab, recently discussed the importance of consumer empowerment and the Internet of Things at two events. She explained that although some believe the Internet of Things is still just a concept, it is already here and estimated by Gartner to encompass 30 billion connected devices by 2020. These “connected devices” are made up of a physical object plus embedded processing, actuators and sensors plus connectivity and the Internet. Processing is not only getting more powerful, but cheaper; computing can be affected remotely; and data communication is becoming pervasive. These are the components and some of the developments transforming physical objects into conduits to services. Melin also discussed 'ownership' in an Internet of Things world and whether a "new normal" is unfolding where property rights are replaced by control over code as products become service avatars. In addition, she talked about how the Internet of Things will change what we trade, the actors participating in commerce, and the power dynamic between them.

Melin will be presenting on this issue at the International In-house Counsel Journal Third Annual Management Conference on March 24^th and the Spring Conference of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network on April 15^th. Find more information on Melin’s work in this area and visit the House Energy & Commerce Committee website for more information on the upcoming hearing.