>I have been studying what the industry is doing in this regard. The
>fundamental issue I see is that there is no way to "opt" out of the
>service.
>There will be Location services brokers that will do regular queries
>of your location at regular intervals. The purpose is to market to
>you based on your LOCATION. For instance, you drive by the local
>coffee house, and your cell phone alerts you to a special running at
>the house, and a coupon for 10% off, if you show them your cell
>phone. You can make a query for a movie you want to see, and it will
>give you times to the three closest theaters, and driving
>instructions.
>
>What is really sinister is you will be able to choose a setting from >a
service that will alert you if someone in your phone list is
>within, say 300 METERS (this one's for you Alberto), of you.
>The benefits is that if you get in an accident, you only have to
>push one button, and EMS will magically appear to your location.
>You can also give your children a cell phone, and set
>geographical "boundaries" that they can cannot cross. You would be
>alerted if they cross the boundary. You can also track their
>location, binding coordinates to friends houses, or school.
>
>This really is a move towards transparency, since the data collected
>will be publicly viewable to all (This would include any government
>official or law enforcement). Anyone should be able to track where
>another person is at at any time.
Well, see, I don't think this is really a step towards Brin's transparent
society. It seems to me the purpose of the TS is not to know what everyone
is doing every minute, but that information available about the man on the
street is also available about men in power.
I can guarantee you that the wealthy and powerful will have access to cells
either without the chip, or have ways to block it. And really, that is
their right. I personally don't want my location to be available to
everyone. Not because I have anything to hide, but because my comings and
goings are no one's business. If I want a G-d D-mn cappucino, I'll stop by
and get one. I don't want them calling me when I pass their store anymore
than I want their flyer from the guy they hired to stand out in front of it
and hand them out.
To me, it's another case of people willing to trade their privacy for
convenience. Ick.
Jim
"What can change the nature of a man?" - The Nameless One
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