iScared being tracked
If I were to point out one thing that I have learnt, that has made the most impact on me, it would be technology's ability to track us down. As for now, we have IP addresses for our own PC. Blogs, once deemed as a personal space, can now be easily 'googled'. If you hold a biometric passport, your identity is held in it, and it shows exactly where and when you go overseas.Apparently ERP gantries, as I've learnt in class, is a a tracking device too. And as more are being put up islandwide, God-knows-who can track one's movement as to where his vehicle goes at very specific time measurements.
It is scary that we are being given lesser and lesser privacy. People fight for freedom of speech but do they actually know what's closing them down faster than they're imagining? I suppose it would be better if they fight for a different kind of freedom right now.
Technology evolves every other day. At such a rapid rate, it will be no surprise if technology does every single mundane things that we do. Let me cite the example of Apple's new OS - Leopard. In it holds this programme called iChat which not only fulfills its basic function of a medium to chat but also enables users to actually discuss and make changes to Microsoft Office documents such as Word or Power Point.
Previously if we were to discuss a project online, we still had to send files that we had make changes to, to our group mates. They will then overwrite their old files and review the new ones. Not happy? Make the changes and send it to the others and so the cycle continues to go on till the final document is agreed on.
With Leopard, all your group mates can be seeing the document that you are working on and make changes to it simultaneously. It omits the need to actually send an updated file in order for others to see the new copy. In iChat, everyone will have the finalised copy without the need to exchange any files.
Now if I were to touch on the issue of privacy, iChat somehow or rather has the ability to invade one's privacy. The programme can actually allow another user to use another person's desktop, upon their approval, without the need to be physically there.
In layman's term, person A can actually manipulate person B's computer ie use B's programmes while still at his own home and using his own computer! So when this function of iChat is turned on, B can only watch and see what A is doing to his computer because B has allowed A to do so.
I thought as we go on in technology, life and age our privacy would be better protected. But now it's more invaded than ever. What's worse is that people are blinded by this because they are too overawed by the new technology that they overlook its implications.
posted by fitri @ 1:25 AM
<< Home