However, technology comes with a price. Forgetting the 2yr contract, the monthly bill, and the exposure to various electromagnetic fields, users of technology are giving up their privacy in order to get these conveniences.
In the past, people have joked about the government or some hidden entity having a "file" on them. While there may or may not have been a file on you, there have been files on individuals in the past. Creating these files required first identifying the person as being "of interest". From that point, actual "work" was required to create this file, fill it with as much pertinent information as possible, and keep it updated. This was a manual process and rather laborious.
Even with the proliferation of internet access, this was still excessively manual. While aggregating information or sharing it would be easier, tracking was still hit or miss and required much vetting of bulk data.
However, the advent of accessible portable electronics such as telephones has changed the game. Not only do we have constant access to these devices, but they are linked to us in a much more personal manner than ever before in the history of tech. The vetting of data is flipped where the 10% is invalid data and the 90% of automatically aggregated data is accurate. More to the point, we dont have to be targeted in order for a file to be created. With facebook and google, we build our own file.
Our likes, dislikes, opinions, interests, strengths, and weaknesses are cataloged by us. Our locations, habits, and actions are tied through a battery operated device we pay to track us. While these are all great conveniences, there is potential for abuse.
Having worked in tech since the early 1990's, there are many undocumented aspects of this technology which are ripe for abuse. Personally, I've processed a few FBI subpoenas and noticed the "reaching" aspect of their requests. At that point, there were no agreements with google, apple, facebook to streamline getting information "directly" from their databases. Of course NSA was rumored to have direct access to global telecommunication switching equipement inside the USA. While I wont go into the location or company, its long been since known that they do have that access (even before Snowden released the information he acquired.)
Back to the point, data aggregation is no longer hard, no longer complicated, and no longer single digit percentage in accuracy. Add the ability to tie a fingerprint to a device and one can pinpoint the location of a specific person or group of persons with great accuracy. The ability to make a psychological profile of a random individual can be made with much greater accuracy based on information collected within minutes of deeming that person "of interest".
Lets forget IOS for a minute and skip over to Android. The newer Galaxy S4 has the ability to read the eye of its user. Slight software modifications can cause this device (or subsequent devices) read/monitor and log microexpressions. Instead of keeping track of what you read, this type of device has the ability to log how you react to what you read.
Not only can a profile be built by targeting what information you are exposed to, but information can be tailored to your profile in order to nudge your opinion on a subject. We dont live in a world where one story is written for a publication, printed thousands of times, and delivered to many doors. We now have the technological ability to make 10 different versions of the news, and deliver the versions that people want to read. Although it is not happening today, the ability to nudge the minds of millions exists and its in your pocket every day.
The unfortunate aspect of technology is its potential for abuse. Of course its being abused already, but not to the point that it can be used. However, be aware, the devices you surround yourself with have the potential to see, hear, save, and relay everything that happens around them.
Posts
