We must protect our pets from Big Tech

We love our pets and we love our gadgets.

- By Vinay Menon

So, naturally, Big Tech is coming for both in 2024. I love reading about the strange gizmos unveiled each year at CES, the consumer electronics trade show underway this week in Las Vegas.

Every year, I find myself wondering, “Do I need a smart bathroom mirror that can read my cholesterol, recite the weather and provide feedback on my outfit? Mirror, mirror, on the wall, it’s going to rain and … my tie doesn’t match?”

Per a Tuesday story in the Washington Post, some new gadgets for 2024 include a pair of eyeglasses that double as a hearing aid. Wouldn’t it be creepy if there was a glitch and suddenly you were seeing soundwaves and hearing light? There is also a stylish ring that operates appliances as you stroke your finger and ignite the gas stove like a Bond villain.

But let’s focus on pet tech. UPI published a story Monday about a new “Flappie” cat door. Invented by a pair of Swiss brothers, it “features an AI-powered detection system that refuses to allow a cat to enter the home if it is carrying a mouse, bird or other small animal in its mouth.”

Not sure what happens if it is carrying the kill in a breast pocket.