Smart but unfriendly: Connected home products as enablers of conflict

The digital revolution has the potential to transform many aspects of our daily lives, including how we work and how we interact with others. While the services, benefits, and risks of smart home technologies (SHTs) have been vastly explored, this research asks: is there any space for SHTs to create conflicts within homes and their inhabitants? Drawing from a rich empirical dataset consisting of a literature review, semi-structured research interviews with experts, three focus groups across the UK (Manchester, London, and Surrey), and a nationally representative survey (n = 1032), this study investigates how SHTs can enable conflicts with couples and partners, children and parents, landlords and tenants, neighbors and hosts and guests. •Explores users' perceptions on smart home technologies.•Examines how digital technologies can enable conflicts within households.•Explores conflict through a nationally representative survey in the United Kingdom as well as three focus groups (n = 18 respondents).