Delaware is looking to become the first state (again) by adopting a secure mobile app that will allow users to use their cell phone as their driver's license at traffic stops. It actually makes a lot of sense given that these days people are more likely to forget their wallets than their cell phones. There are already 30 states that let you show your proof of insurance electronically, and that number is growing. Why talk about this on my first Science Sunday? I'll tell you why.
Years ago, there was talk of implanting an RFID the size of a grain of rice in between people's thumb and index fingers for tracking and various purposes. Apart from a very small number of people, Americans rejected this idea. Privacy wonks abound, Americans have vocally rejected ideas that inhibit their privacy, yet hypocritically demand more safety by way of increasing video surveillance and the like. Here's what I'm concerned with: the app Delaware is talking about is a secure app, likely created by the state.
It's been known for some time that a lot of apps make you agree to absurd conditions before being allowed to use the app. I wonder what kind of privacy the users will have to give up when they accept the terms of this app. There's really nothing stopping them from using your cell phone to find your location. With a warrant they can do it already. It's possible this app would give them this ability without a warrant, something the Patriot Act has also already been doing in 'extreme' cases. However cool this technology is and however convenient it is to carry your phone as a driver's license and perhaps as a method of payment, it's worth noting that the potential benefits are marred by the potential risks.
Those who know me know that I'm no Luddite. I use some of the latest gadgets and I love imagining the future. What I'm concerned about is aloof consumers who don't question the government or the companies selling them these products. Without asking these kinds of questions, becoming a victim of a society run amok is not a possibility, but an eventual certainty. I spoke of some similar issues in my dystopian thriller Memory Leak. In my book, technology could be a great defensive weapon or the catalyst for my characters' destruction.
What do you think about using your cell phone as a driver's license? Am I being too paranoid, or is there merit in moving forward in this area with caution?
Years ago, there was talk of implanting an RFID the size of a grain of rice in between people's thumb and index fingers for tracking and various purposes. Apart from a very small number of people, Americans rejected this idea. Privacy wonks abound, Americans have vocally rejected ideas that inhibit their privacy, yet hypocritically demand more safety by way of increasing video surveillance and the like. Here's what I'm concerned with: the app Delaware is talking about is a secure app, likely created by the state.
It's been known for some time that a lot of apps make you agree to absurd conditions before being allowed to use the app. I wonder what kind of privacy the users will have to give up when they accept the terms of this app. There's really nothing stopping them from using your cell phone to find your location. With a warrant they can do it already. It's possible this app would give them this ability without a warrant, something the Patriot Act has also already been doing in 'extreme' cases. However cool this technology is and however convenient it is to carry your phone as a driver's license and perhaps as a method of payment, it's worth noting that the potential benefits are marred by the potential risks.
Those who know me know that I'm no Luddite. I use some of the latest gadgets and I love imagining the future. What I'm concerned about is aloof consumers who don't question the government or the companies selling them these products. Without asking these kinds of questions, becoming a victim of a society run amok is not a possibility, but an eventual certainty. I spoke of some similar issues in my dystopian thriller Memory Leak. In my book, technology could be a great defensive weapon or the catalyst for my characters' destruction.
What do you think about using your cell phone as a driver's license? Am I being too paranoid, or is there merit in moving forward in this area with caution?
Comments
Post a Comment