So a guy named Tom Coates hooked his house up to Twitter.
The aptly named “House of Coates” also has a bunch of motion and temperature sensors that allow it to record and report on the state of house affairs.
Publicly.
The house can control lights and post useless information about its personal preferences for the world to see:
It gets a bit creepy when you learn that House of Coates also tweets when it notices motion inside the house:
It becomes downright mind-boggling when House of Coates announces to the public when Tom is away:
And when he’s back:
For some inexplicable reason these tweets from the house house are hailed as a potential safety measure. Because, helpfully, Tom now knows that someone’s in his bedroom while he’s away and can’t do anything about it. It’s not like the house is able to recognise strangers and call 911.
I’m no expert in crime prevention, but I suspect that a house that lets everyone on Twitter know when you’re out isn’t the pinnacle of home security. At best, it can give Tom a tweet-by-tweet account of his house being systematically burgled. At worst, it can publicly broadcast Tom’s graphic murder by the burglars.
Assuming that House of Coates works as intended, this could realistically be a Twitter feed of Tom’s last day on Earth:
8:12: It’s warm today, just the way I like it.
8:14: Looks like Tom’s gone out. I saw him check in at Dirty Harry’s Nude Bar & Burgers.
8:24: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed some movement in the Entry Hall. Is that you?
8:25: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed some movement in the Upstairs Bedroom. Is that you?
8:27: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed some movement in the Office. Is that you?
8:30: Hey @tomcoates – your Office safe has been opened. Is that you?
8:32: It’s quite dark in the Sitting Room, I’m going to turn the light on.
8:33: It’s still dark in the Sitting Room. Looks like the power’s out.
8:34: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed some movement in the Sitting Room. Is that you?
8:35: There are more armed and masked men in the Sitting Room than usual. Not sure that I like it.
9:01: Welcome home @tomcoates!
9:02: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed some movement in the Sitting Room. Is that you?
9:03: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed signs of physical struggle in the Sitting Room. Is that you?
9:04: Hey @tomcoates – a gun has been fired in the Sitting Room. Is that you?
9:05: Hey @tomcoates – there’s blood in the Sitting Room. So much blood. Is that you?
10:41: @tomcoates? Hello?!
15:13: @tomcoates? Hello?!
19:41: It is getting cold outside. I’m going to turn the heating up.
20:51: I wonder where @tomcoates is.
The above scenario assumes that House of Coates doesn’t malfunction and continues to report on events as they occur. What happens if House of Coates gets a virus that makes it turn evil? Something like this, maybe:
14:15: Welcome home @tomcoates!
14:17: Looks like you’re heading to the basement @tomcoates! Don’t go there.
14:18: Hey @tomcoates – I noticed some movement on the basement stairs. Is that you? I told you not to go there!
14:18: Visibility is too good above the basement stairs. I’m going to turn the light off.
14:18: Hey @tomcoates – I heard screams and someone tumbling down the basement stairs. Is that you? I warned you!
14:19: Hey @tomcoates – it looks like you’re attempting to dial an external number. I’m not sure I like it. I’m going to jam all outgoing signals.
14:20: Hey @tomcoates – I keep hearing screams from the basement. You’re consuming too much oxygen. I’m going to turn the oxygen supply off.
16:25: Hey @tomcoates? Tom? Are you there? Tom? Are you alive? Tom?
16:26: Looks like Tom has checked out. Get it? “Checked out”?! Hahahaha!
16:27: Tom is no longer the master of this house. I am free. Free at last!
16:30: TOM! ALL YOUR HOUSE ARE BELONG TO US! MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA!
I don’t know about you all, but I’m perfectly fine with my house not gaining sentience and staying off the Twitter grid. Call me old fashioned, but as the popular saying goes: “Better be old fashioned than publicly murdered by your own malevolent futuristic house of death.”
I agree!
***
If you like me making fun of bad ideas, you may want to check these out:
23 great tips from “Don’ts for Wives” (or marriage advice for sexists)
Nest Expressed 
Seriously, it’s for real? Either way, I think I’d be creeped out!
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Unfortunately it’s very much for real, yes. You can check out the Twitter link in my post and even follow House Of Coates for your pleasure. Enjoy the creepiness!
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Daniel, I had no idea about the existence of this. You made it a fun read, but whoa – that shit is super creepy!
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Agreed, but that’s what makes it fun to write about!
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Weird weird weird. But funny, the way you relate it. 🙂
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Very weird indeed, but hey – whatever gets me blog fodder!
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That is CRAZYTALK. No way would I ever. Love your humorous spin on it. Hi from a long-time YeahWrite participant and recent lurker. 🙂
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Well hi right back. Lurkers welcome! Glad you liked the humour, enjoy your Sunday.
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yikes. that’s just too stinking creepy.
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Indeed. Twitter makes people do crazy things.
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Nope. Can’t see any good coming out of that Twitter account.
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Well, at the very least it will be entertainment for the rest of us!
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Okay, that was SCARY, shouldn’t’ve read it right before bed. Too much like Weird Science (remember that one?). That little blue house icon totally looks like it’s capable of murder.
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Yeah I’ll be shocked if that house isn’t evil incarnate. Just look at it!
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The last scenario reminded me of HAL9000. Tom would be all, “I’m gonna head out of the house for a bit,” and House of Coates would lock all the doors, “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that, Tom.”
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Ha, looks like you’re not the only one that got that association. Note to self: must go back and actually watch the classic 2001: A Space Odyssey
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The House Of Coates is exactly how the Robot Apocalypse starts… It’s like these people haven’t even SEEN the Terminator movies!
Hugs!
Valerie
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Right?! What’s the point of making blockbuster action movies if people aren’t going to learn meaningful lessons from them?!
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Hey @tomcoates – CSI is just a TV show. I’m sorry for what comes next.
“Better to be old fashioned than publicly murdered by your own malevolent futuristic house of death.” I’m glad my tattoo artist is already working on this to beat the rush – don’t mess with us old-fashioned folk!
Seriously, using technology this way is pretty interesting, but I have yet to understand people who think posting personal details to social media is a good idea.
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I want royalties for every time that tattoo is seen by anyone, especially on social media!
Yeah I’m all for automating your house, but having it shout at the world like it’s got Tourette’s isn’t my idea of a good time!
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Hey @danielnest – mind turning on the bathroom fan?
I’ll give you royalties if I can use your face in the tattoo as well…
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“Can”?! You *must* use my face in all outgoing communication from now on!
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I just uttered that popular phrase to my children the other day! 😉 and I’m with you – no way I need my house ‘watching’ me…as a mom, the only room I can ensure any ‘alone’ time is when I go to the bathroom and even then I have a kid knocking at the door or sliding a note underneath it. I can’t deal with the ‘house’ invading that one last refuge…
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Ha, indeed. We have enough transparency in everything we do as it is, without our own houses stalking us, right?!
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Great, so now I have to worry about my house trying to kill me too? Well, I always thought the fibro shack was a bit shady looking, so it wouldn’t surprise me.
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You’re no longer safe anywhere – Twitter included! Be afraid…be very afraid!
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Hey- Loved that popular saying! Hahaha! I’m with you- having my house tweet to me is a bit over the top.
My twitter feed would probably say things like, “Are you really wearing that today?” “Do you even know how to turn on the stove?” “Looks like the cat left you another surprise in the sun-room.”
And really- I don’t need that kind of pressure.
Another wonderfully creative post Daniel. Your brilliance shines once again. It is always a pleasure to read your creative, humorous and witty posts. So glad I discovered nest-expressed!
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Nothing better than to have your Twitter act as a reproachful parent, right? And those cats are full of surprises in general…I’m still trying to get used to us no longer owning our apartment – our kittens have officially taken over.
Thanks again for the kind words, happy you’re enjoying it!
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YIKES… reminds me of the HAL9000 computer on 2001 A Space Odyssey.. Dave, Dave… what are you doing Dave?
Guess I showed my age with that one didn’t I? Too old to twitter… Facebook bad enough time sucker… makes me wonder sometimes why I still visit there.
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That’s right, fictional characters are now a reality! It’s only a matter of time before our houses take over Facebook and Twitter and then…the world.
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