The scenario is called Intentional Internet of Things because it assumes governments and companies will roll out the IoT intentionally to address big societal problems like climate change and public health. Even though such an application of information technologies will be considered beneficial by most citizens, according to the authors, it also increases the risks. In this scenario the most important outcome for cybersecurity is that the stakes are raised considerably. "Perhaps the greatest risk lies precisely with the greatest benefits: as communities get more networked, they will also grow more vulnerable."

Sensorium (Internet of Emotion)
The nascent field of bio-sensing devices is the object of scenario 5: Sensorium (Internet of Emotion). Here personal wearables and data trackers will quickly improve to a point where measuring emotions will become a mature, bankable research field. "In this world, cybersecurity and emotional security will become inextricably intertwined. Cybercriminals, corporations, and governments will not only take advantage of tracking human emotion but also begin to subtly manipulate those emotions for licit and illicit gain", the authors write.

The 5 scenario's of the CLTC help us think about the future of the internet and its security in a more structured way. They show that if we have certain hopes or expectations about what information technology can bring us in the near future, we'll need to invest in securing the networks too.

Image: Smoke of a .45. Painting by Charles Marion Russell.