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In the future, will individual citizens really retain any level of privacy or anonymity? Or, will they be relics of a bygone era? Our society is entering an increasingly accelerated phase of privacy reduction, and I'm afraid there is not much we can do to stop it. While the arrival of Google Glass really does not present anything new in regard to privacy on a technological level, on a cultural level is signifies our entrance into an age in which we are forced to accept voyeurism at all times and for a myriad of reasons. Whereas in the world of yesterday we could expect to be monitored and recorded in certain public places or in ways in which would be obvious to us, now we are arriving into a world where the monitoring can occur anytime we pass by someone, have a conversation with someone, or allow a worker into our homes.Add to this the refinement of facial recognition software. Imagine sitting on the subway on your way to work, traditionally an activity in which stranger is amidst stranger. But imagine that the person sitting across from you is wearing Google Glass, and that he is able to discretely monitor you and identify your face. Then imagine that your face tells him all sorts of things - your name, occupation, and potentially even your social security number. But because you've also identified things you "Like" on social media, he is able to identify your preferences and tastes in life, and also what you did over this past weekend. And don't forget about anything from your past which may be buried 5, 10, or even 20 years back. Commit a crime? That information comes up. Were questionable photos of you taken years ago during college? That also will be known by this voyeur. At the end of the subway ride, this stranger across from you has virtual access into your private life, and you have yet to even notice him. This is the kind of society I envision we are entering. I have yet to assess the implications of such loss of privacy, but it seems like such a large step beyond anything we've seen in the past that the effects cannot be good. Of course, we haven't even gotten into the issue of what the government could do with such information, but I don't think we have to even consider it to recognize the dark techno-social alley we are going down.
I have yet to assess the implications of such loss of privacy, but it seems like such a large step beyond anything we've seen in the past that the effects cannot be good.
Yes, but in the past we didn't have texting, email, facebook, twitter, youtube, etc., etc.
Of course, we haven't even gotten into the issue of what the government could do with such information, but I don't think we have to even consider it to recognize the dark techno-social alley we are going down.
Then don't give the government all these opportunities to invade privacy. A good way to avert these concerns is to probably start acting like humans again. You know...like talking to each other.I'm not that worried about some photo of me with a bong will show up anywhere because that was way back in the late 70's. There would have to be someone who kept an actual hard copy photo. Nowadays, I would worry more about it with all the cell phones around and the fact that it can be uploaded to any social media pretty much instantaneously.
I'm not that worried about some photo of me with a bong will show up anywhere because that was way back in the late 70's. There would have to be someone who kept an actual hard copy photo. Nowadays, I would worry more about it with all the cell phones around and the fact that it can be uploaded to any social media pretty much instantaneously.
Imagine, though, the parent with a daughter who was secretly photographed in the girls' restroom at school by another girl using a cell phone, only to have that picture sent around time and again. Ten years later, that girl/woman is going to have that trail following her, and it will be all the more accessible by others. How would she and/or her parents feel? Or imagine the stalker who sees a kid on the street and can immediately pull up the kid's address? These are scary things, and we are entering scary times. As for the government, the dangers are more about gradual totalitarian control. You probably already know about cop cars that go around and are able to photograph thousands of car license plates to search for wanted criminals. What happens if the feds access the database of local police to search for those who violate IRS provisions? We have already seen evidence which points to the targeting of political opponents by the IRS. I think it would be less troubling to me if government power decreased as surveillance and tracking technology increased. However, it seems that our country is becoming more authoritarian as monitoring technology is getting better.
The potential abuse of data by government is the best argument for shrinking government there is. The problem is that if something can be done, it will be done, or is already being done. What happens when the treasure of data is used to target political opponents? What happens when personal data of a non-business nature is used for denial of employment or employment termination? I did not used to be so onboard with the privacy campaigners but the more I think about the issue the more I agree with them. There are some things and some data that companies and the government simply should not be able to collect period. I think the loss of privacy in the digital age is the biggest threat to Liberty since Lenin declared the establishment of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
I think there's a perpetual debate about privacy vs. public safety which will never satisfy everyone. I generally lean more on the side of privacy than safety, if only because the entity on the side of safety (the government) has all the power in this relationship. Also, once you give up your privacy, you can't always get it back.Now, with Obamacare, there's even more cause for worry. Will the government be able to fine people who have body fat over X%? What about a "smoker's fee" that people will have to pay every year? These may seem far-fetched today, but I am almost certain that these kinds of ideas have been raised in the offices of some bureaucrats lately.
