In one of my clases at SMU, I read an article that focused on tracking technology. I found it so interested and found so many similarities between our technologically advanced world to the phrase “Big Brother is Watching You”
This issue focuses on the use of new technology that enables people to know your every move. This article has an unbiased opinion as it touches on the pros and cons of this technology. The article begins with a magical touch as it incorporates Harry’s Potter’s magic (technology) and makes it a reality. Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology became fascinated by Harry Potter’s Marauder’s Map, a map that showed where every student was in Hogwarts, and created their own tracking map. Privacy is very important to every human being and the potential threat of people’s personal lives becoming available to the general public has gotten the attention of many. Location privacy can be defined as the ability to prevent other parties from learning one’s current or past location, however this new tracking technology has the ability to make a significant impact on our daily lives. Government corporations, criminals, and parents may use these tracking devices to monitor the every day lives of people. I cannot help ignore the question of this tool becoming Big Brother or an ultimate safety device. Devices that focus on a person’s location are tracking chips that can be carried in many things ranging from clothing to passports. Location devices include the GPS that uses satellite signals and are usually in vehicles; cellular networks that use antennas; and RFID which uses radiofrequency to locate a position.
A global positioning system, GPS, uses three or more satellite signals to get a location position. It is a one-way technology in that once the signal is transferred it does not transmit its location back to the satellite. GPS systems are more commonly used in automobile tracking services to help people find restaurants, find their location of interest more easily. However, the location of GPS can be sent out over a different network, wireless network or mobile device, and sent over to another network giving access of its coordinates to a third party.
Cellular networks use antennas to determine their location. Although, locations can only be determined within range of the antennas they broadcast to, they can also transmit a location back to a station base. These devices, that are bidirectional, are used in 911 calls to help locate people that are in need of help, parental tracking systems as well as in the form of advertising. Colin Bates, chief technology officer at location services company Mobile Commerce said "All the big four operators now offer a commercial service so you can send them a telephone number and they will tell you where it is" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3012170.stm).Moreover, cell phones now carry bidirectional tracking devices where parents can supervise where their child is at all times. Law officials are trying to gain access to these bidirectional-tracking devices to track the location of suspected criminals. However, these devices are also stored in rental cars to determine the speed limit and if the car goes over the speed limit as well as to track unauthorized cars traveling across state borders.
RFID technology is a computer chip with a microscopic antenna embedded in it. It receives and replies to radio frequency signals to form a location position. This technology was originally used for retail stores to keep track of clothing. To many “it's simply the next logical step from bar codes: providing a cheap, easy way to keep products on the shelves, consumers happy and companies making money” (http://www.alternet.org/rights/29890/). Moreover, RFID technology can be used for the safety of children. An experiment was done on a grade school's program requiring students to wear RFID-enabled badges to track their on-campus. movements.” However this technology can also be used with cruel intentions. Hijackers can track a person’s movement by picking up these signals. In essence, a person can be watched and located just from her clothing.
Tracking technology can be used in many ways, in good and bad ways, just as shown above. There have been laws put into place regulating the extent of the information that is known, hoping to put a stop to the foul practices of this technology. Only time will tell if people’s private life and this new tracking technology will be able to co-exist in this world.
No comments:
Post a Comment