Smart home and privacy - can you have both at the same time?

While smarthome devices may be convenient, what about data security? — dpa

Lighting, the music system, cameras, thermostats, door locks, lawn mowers, shutters — all can be networked together in a smart home and controlled using a smartphone or tablet.

The convenience is great, but what about data security? Where exactly does your data go and how safe are the connections between smart home devices?