Governments and other groups have been trying to track people for generations. However, with recent world events and ever increasing technological abilities, surveillance powers have reached new heights. In this assignment you will investigate surveillance technologies over the past ten years. You will read several articles from the past and the present, and even try to predict the future. When you read each article, take note of the article date to give you perspective of what the author knew and thought at the time. After you read all the articles your task is to complete the following by writing your responses in the comment section below.
- What technology do you think is the coolest and why?
- What technology do you think is the scariest and why?
- What technology do you think is the most important to the world today and why?
- What new technology do you think we will realistically be able to do by the year 2020? (it does not have to be one mentioned in any of the articles – you can come up with your own)
- Create one multiple choice question (with distractors) from your readings that would be something good for people to know and that I should/could ask about on a test. No two people may create the same question so first-come, first-served. You will hand in the same question in class with the correct answer identified.
- You should also reply to at least one other person’s comment by clicking the ‘reply’ button associated with that comment. In the reply you should agree or disagree with their answers to questions 1-4 and state why.
Here are the sites you should visit and read.
- The American Conservative – a 2003 article to set the stage – do you think the Patriot Act is a good or not-so-good thing for America?
- State of Surveillance – a great 2005 article in Business Week about the surveillance abilities we had in 2005 and what was about to come. Did they get it right? Be sure to read the main article and the links on that page for: The Slide Show, Nowhere To Hide, A Dog’s Nose Still Knows Best, and In The Datasphere, No Word Goes Unheard. They even forecast the airport scanners that are so prevalent in the news today.
- The State of Surveillance, Britain – This 2009 article gives a little global perspective.
- Homeland Security Digital Library – This site has articles on current topics in surveillance and security. Note the links on the left to ‘Identification Systems’ and other categories. Obviously, you do not have to read everything on this site but you might look around and find some items of interest.
- What They Know – This Wall Street Journal series tells you all about how the Internet is tracking everything about you. Again, you don’t have to read everything, but you should find a couple of interesting things to talk about.
Again, read the material above and write your thoughts below in the comment section. Be sure to reply to another person’s comment too.
Example comment…
The coolest technology by far is… because…
The scariest technology would have to be… because…
The most important technology would be… because…
By the year 2020, we will be…
Question: Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?
a. Delaware b. China c. Japan d. Australia
Other comments…
Example reply…
The coolest technology by far has to be the facial recognition achieved by higher resolution cameras. The reason is it’s cool to see the use of everyday technology that people all around the world use to contribute to the overall safety and security missions of these technology firms is quite impressive.
The scariest technology is defiantly the technology which can track users through their cell phone apps without the users consent. I think the scariest part of this technology is that consent from the user is not necessary. Not only the fact that the technology does not ask for consent but also the fact that the user is unaware that the tracking is even occurring. Another alarming feature of the technology is the fact that these apps can be used within the privacy of one’s home. This means that the technology could be tracking you within the confines of your own home, which seems to me to be a clear violation of someone’s right to privacy.
For me the most important technology coincides with the coolest technology, which is the facial recognition technology. In the movie Surrogates the police officers have a photo of a known criminal from the scene of the crime, the problem is they still don’t know who that person is. They take the picture and run it through the data base and can get a match based on facial recognition technology. This technology could prove extremely effective from threats on the home front and abroad.
In the year 2020, the United States will have built an almost complete data base of photos which will be equipped with facial recognition technology. Surveillance cameras will be increased in number by about 250% and the cameras will all be high resolution. Using the newly installed cameras and fully functional data base the United States will be able to increase criminal apprehension rates by about 60%. Crime rates in general will go down, and we will live in a safer society.
The Patriot Act was in response to what major American event?
A. JFK assassination B. 9/11 C. The Oklahoma City Bomber D. The Chicago underwear bomber
And my reply…oh wait…I don’t have to reply!!!
I agree that the technology which can track people through their cell phone apps is pretty scary. So many people are using tons of different apps and are completely oblivious to the fact that they are being tracked. It is somewhat understandable when the app asks for the users consent, but seems really creepy when the user has no idea whatsoever that there are people tracking where they are located, their gender, and even how long they use each of their apps and how much in depth they go into their apps.
I completely agree that surveilance cameras will be almost everywhere in twenty years and beleive that criminals will be able to be ID’d by these cameras. Although this will help catch criminals, this is very creepy.
The coolest technology by far, in my opinion, is recognizing a person based on sweat, body oder, and skin flakes within the halo of heat that surrounds a person. I think that this is the coolest technology because it is something that I have never heard before and never would have thought would be used in surveillance technology. I think this is one of the more sophisticated technologies that will take a lot more time to master, but I think once it is mastered, it will be very reliable compared to other surveillance technologies like fingerprinting, iris scanning, etc.
The scariest technology, in my opinion, is the up close and personal facial recognition that analyzes the pores, wrinkles, and spots on a person’s face. I think that this is the scariest technology because it seems to really invade a person’s privacy. I would be freaked out if I knew someone was analyzing every mark on my face in more detail than I could see. Also, I think this technology could backfire if say, a person’s pores get bigger or smaller over a certain period of time or if someone with wrinkles got Botox or any kind of facelift, changing the appearance of the person’s face.
The most important technology, in my opinion, is a tie between the artificial nose that sniffs out explosives as well as the T-Ray body scans used at airports. I think that they are the most important because they both are technologies that would work well in a setting in which there are tons of people traveling through every day. For example, if the artificial nose is placed within the frame of the body scan machines, you are covering two very serious, possible threats in one walk through. Since each person has to walk through the body scan in an airport, a large mass of people are being checked every day, potentially saving the lives of many people using the airways.
By the year 2020, I think there will be a major increase in the quality and quantity of cameras used to identify people based on their fine-tuned appearance (irises, stride, face markings, etc.). This technology seems to be developing the quickest, therefore I think it will be the most effective source of surveillance we will have in 2020. Although cameras today recognize people mostly by their general outward appearance, future cameras will be able to combine all of the different characteristics of a person, making the surveillance much more accurate.
Which of the following areas is known as “one of the most watched societies of the world”?
A.United Arab Emirates B.Russia C. United Kingdom D. United States of America
In 2020, I agree that there will be a lot more cameras used for surveillance because of America’s increasing technology, but there will be so many of them that it will be overwhelming for Americans and will lead to corruption. Surveillance will be way overboard in the future not just with the cameras, but even starting today with the T-rays in airports seeing people naked on monitors. If this is starting today in 2011, I cannot imagine what surveillance will be like in 2020.
The coolest technology has to be the stride recognition. This is used by certain characteristic movements of a person’s stride from a distance. The researchers can measure the swinging of your shoulders and legs for surveillance. Today, there are ways to trick the system, but I think in the near future they will figure out how to improve on this study.
The scariest technology is the kindred technology and use of t-rays to scan the human body so they appear naked on monitors. This is just beginning to be used in airports across the United States. This technology is very scary because it is violation of a person’s privacy.
The most important technology is face recognition. This is the most common and obvious way for humans to track people. Even though there are some flaws and ways around it, it provides a possible suspect when there are no other ways of determining who committed the crime.
By the year 2020, the United States will have a whole new look on surveillance. There will be cameras in every public area watching our every move. People’s privacy will be violated in many more ways than it is today. Even though the surveillance and cameras will be more accurate in 2020, people will have no privacy and the government will know everything about the American people’s lives.
In what U.S. State does two-thirds of Class A residential and commercial buildings use some combination of biometrics and surveillance for access control or checking time and attendance?
A) California B) Delaware C) New York D) New Jersey
I agree that the use of T-rays to scan the human body used in airports is one of the scariest technoogies. Yes, it is extremely helpful because many people travel everyday and it could save the lives of many, but showing up on a computer screen naked is a huge invasion of privacy. I wouldn’t want a random person I didn’t know to see me naked.
I agree that the stride recognition is the coolest technology. The fact that simply the way someone walks can cause them to be picked out from the rest of the crowd is pretty cool. This software is proof that no matter how the criminals adapt to modern surveillance technology, there will always be a new piece of technology to snag them a different way.
The coolest technology that I read about in these articles are the scanners that can be installed in bank ATMs that identify customers by the pattern of veins in their palms. This pattern of veins is much harder to fake than fingerprints, making this method of identification an important supplement to fingering, facial recognition, etc.
There weren’t very many technologies that I read about in these articles that scared me. Almost all technologies, it appeared to me, are geared towards protecting the general public from bad people by catching these bad people and thwarting their dastardly plots. That is perfectly fine with me.
The technology that does scare me today are social networking sites, especially Facebook. People may whine about being seen naked through a T-ray airport scanner, but they certainly have no qualms about posting every detail of their life onto their Facebook page. “Well, but only my friends can see everything!” Not true. Many people knowing or unknowingly leave bits of information about their life out for any other Facebook user to see, regardless of whether they have been “friended” by the person or not. Oftentimes you can see on a stranger’s profile what high school or college they go to, who their employers are, or who they are in a relationship with. If you and this person have a mutual friend, than you can often see even more of their profile than you would if you did not have a mutual friend. All you need now to stalk this person is their real name and picture….oh wait, there they are at the top of the page!
The most important technology to the world, in my opinion are the sensors that detect a person’s DNA in their saliva, odor, or breath. The ability for a sensor to be able to determine from a person’s odor whether they have certain diseases or mental illnesses will be vital to the diagnosis and treatment of the ailment.
Has anyone ever read the book Feed by M.T. Anderson? In this futuristic world, 75 percent of the American population has had a device implanted into their brains at a very early age. This device is called a feed. It is the equivalent of having a computer inside your brain. People with the feed are constantly bombarded with ads and entertainment geared towards their own personal preference. This personal information is, of course, stored in a database andcan be retrieved at any time without the person’s knowledge There is a chat function included with the feed; this enables people to stand in the same room and communicate with each other without looking at or talking to each other. Because of all the media bombardment imposed by the feed, people have lost their ability to think for themselves. Our technological culture today includes all of these elements of the feed: the popup ads, the facebook chat function, texting, Youtube, etc. I certainly don’t like the idea of the feed being invented by 2020, but with advances in medical technology and the general attraction of human beings to the shiny, interactive internet, I don’t fully doubt the possibility.
What is the 4th Amendment supposed to prevent?
a. free speech b.unreasonable search and seizure c.old people d. right to own a gun
You said that not many scare you because they are directed at bad people. That is correct, but the chances of them being used BY the “bad” people is also very high. And the government is the best candidate for using the new tech for malicious intentions. A bureaucrat in Washington may one day have access to everything about your life. They can watch you and control what you do, what you buy, how you vote, etc.But that is in the future, and alot of people today don’t look at what could happen if these technologies get out of hand. You should be weary of any “surveillance” tech out there.
I agree with you that it is pretty cool to be able to identify someone based on the veins in their hands. I also dont see how it would be possible to fake that. But, at the same time would the veins in your hands change with age? I could see this being a problem, such as if you have injuries or IV Catheters into the veins repeatedly could change them. Although I think that it is cool, I also see flaws in this technology. Also there are security settings on facebook so that you are protected and they cant stalk you if they arent friends with you. If it is on the setting “friends only” then dont accept a friend request from someone that you dont know and they wont be able to see any of your information, and therefore wont be able to stalk you. All that they will be able to see is your name and your profile picture, they wont be able to see your pictures, posts, or information if you have the correct security settings on your profile.
It is scary how many people do not have their facebook security settings on the highest possible settings! People don’t seem to care if they are being stalked.
However, even on the highest security settings, your full name matched with your picture is enough for someone to stalk you.
I agree with Andrew that there will a complex network of highly dependable surveillance cameras installed in various places around the globe by 2020 equipped with a nearly complete facial recognition database However, while I agree that this will increase criminal apprehension rates for a while, I disagree that crime rates will decrease. The bad guys have technology, too. Maybe the cameras will keep the humans from doing the actual crimes…..but do automatons and other robots have anything to fear from facial recognition cameras? My point is: wars got bloodier when the weapons got better, despite improvements in defenses. Technology is used to committ crimes as well as prevent them.
The coolest technology by far is new fingerprint scanners being developed because they actually captures the images of the terrain beneath the skin. The Albuquerque Lumidigm Inc. scanner maps out the the swirling patterns of active capillaries, which help indicate that the finger is alive. The Fujitsu Ltd. scanner reads the vein patterns in your hands too. It is vast improvement over scanners that were fooled by gummy bears.
The scariest technology would have to be software-defined radio because it could enable “superscanners” that can be tuned to pick up the images on your neighbor’s computer. It is just creepy, like a sci-fi spy tech. With software-defined radio even amateurs could design equipment that could tell what someone in the next house over is surfing on the internet. The technology can also make it easier to turn the cell phone into a bug; meaning anyone can spy on you.
The most important technology would be those fingerprint scanners because like iI said previously, the old scanners could be beat by a gummy bear on your finger. These new ones actually check and make sure you are alive as well. A gummy bear is not alive.
By the year 2020, we will be able to have these cameras the size of a pea that can take a pic of you from any angle, or a video, and be able to identify you in a split second. This will probably be used by the government though, which is a scary thought.
MC Question
What can you put on your finger to fool some fingerprint scanners?
A) Lotion B) Water C) Gummy Bears D) Liquid Nitrogen
I think it is really funny that a Gummy Bear can so easily affect your fingerprint. And totally agree that the fingerprint technology should be updated to disregard the ingredients in a gummy bear. Or the government should make companies change the composition of a gummy bear. Cameras the size of peas would be very scary, as I said in my response, the idea of being watched scares me a lot, but if it is for security reasons, I understand.
The coolest technology I believe is the identification of a person’s stride. It can sense a person’s stride from a distance, and recognizes the movement of the person’s arms and legs. It would be helpful because everyone has a different walk, and depending on the height of a person or the length of their legs, they will have different length strides.
The scariest technology has to be the cell phone applications that send out information as they are being downloaded and used. People have no idea that the apps are sending out information, and if they do know, they do not know what information is being sent or to who. They can send your gender, age, and location. Unlike a computer where you can delete cookies or tracking devices, you cannot delete the tracking of the apps.
The most important technologies are the T-ray body scan and the facial recognition through cameras that shows wrinkle and pores. The T-ray body scan can help save many lives because people travel everyday. With the body scan, it is nearly impossible for someone to bring any type of weapon on an airplane. The facial recognition would help to better identify a person and match them to a picture.
By the year 2020, there will be higher quality cameras for facial recognition set up all over the world. The cameras will be able to track every movement and specific features of every person. It will help make the surveillance of the world more precise.
There have been some complaints that surveillance cameras for traffic lights, etc. are a violation of the ____________ Amendment.
A) First B) Second C) Third D) Fourth
I agree that the T-ray body scans are also extremely important. Airplane travel safety has been a concern for a long while now especially since all of the bomb threats. It will ensure that all passengers are safe so that everybody can be a little more relaxed instead of having to worry about something everytime they need to go on a business trip or on a visit to somewhere far away. Even though the T-ray body scans may seem to invade too much privacy, it is for our own benefit and safety and I think it is a trade we will have to make.
1) I think that the coolest technological security system has to be the facial recognition. I mean come on, the government can basically “fingerprint” each persons face which yes does have a lot of room for error, but if built correctly, this could bring a whole new level to the phrase “airport security”. But the best thing about this system is that like the new cars being built, they technology used to build it would also benefit other aspects of the world. We could have new video games, or new doors that open only for certain people. The government buildings and other places would be a lot safer and planes would be too. It is kind of like killing two birds with one stone.
2) By far the scariest advance is the ability of the government to basically watch your every move. All your emails, texts, and phone calls, if the government was given this ability, it would also give them the ability to blackmail and find out other illegal things one might be doing. Unless we want a government controlled society then this is not the way to go. It’s not like I do anything bad, but the thought that someone else is secretly involved in my conversations sends chills down my spine.
3) I believe that all these technological advances are helpful, but scary. I feel like anything that protects you, and doesn’t physically harm you is good. It is for one’s own protection. I would be fine with someone “seeing me naked” (airport security) or reading my texts or tracking my location. As long is it is for my own SECURITY. And by that I mean real security, not mom and dad looking for me while I am out or someone trying to protect me from getting lost or going somewhere unsafe.
4) I think that in the future, people will be fingerprinted upon boarding a plane, or stamped or some type of way of identifying a person more than just a passport. Maybe someone will produce a sort of high tech electronic passport that can tell more than just your name and give your picture. I feel like some method of identifying one will come out by 2020.
5) After the FBI’s failure to stop the 9/11 attacks they:
A. named a new chief with a antiterrorism background
B. were given a bigger budget with more power
C. developed a new set of values and beliefs to help them in case of another attack
D. lost all jurisdiction on cases revolving around terrorism.
I agree with Dillon on the scariest advances. Just knowing that the government can track you down and find out anything personal about you is horrifying. It is protecting us, but to the point where you get to read through my texts/emails and listen to my phone calls is just ridiculous.
The coolest technology by far is the Lumidigm Inc. finger scan and palm scanner. It has taken something (the fingerprint based system) that I already thought was high-tech and has made it even more advanced/more reliable. Being able to check the capillaries to see if the finger is alive is just crazy and the palm scanner to read veins is also extremely cool. I would want one of these for every room of my future house.
The scariest technology would have to be the radio frequency identification tags. They are most definitely advances that will allow us to ID someone who is injured or during an emergency situation but I feel like we may get carried away with it. Eventually I think it will be combined with a tracking system so everything about us and even where we are will be known at any given time. The reason this is so scary is because I believe at some point in time, it may be enforced that all new borns will have these planted under there skin so it wont be optional.
The most important technology would be the facial recognition software. Even though it is in high debate as to whether or not it is effective or if it just invades privacy, I believe developing these and making them more efficient (so they can recognize facial structures from far away) is very important. Since people do not normally pay attention to the people who walk by them on there day to day basis, it is unlikely that they will notice someone who is from a “wanted” sign or who is a criminal they saw on the news. These cameras will be extremely urgent for the capture of these criminals.
By the year 2020 we will be most likely tracked with our every move. There will be cameras that can tell who we are, our birth date, origin, etc. and they will be at every corner. The traffic cameras will not only be for taking pictures of speeders but also to x-ray the driver and passengers and all the items inside to check for threats. Cameras will be at every corner and the outside world will feel like being in a high end jewelry store. Despite the high chance of a lack of privacy, people will be safer as a result.
Question: Who is credited for inventing the internet
(A) Bill Gates (B) Advanced Research Projects Agency (C) NASA (D) The Agency of Superior Intelligence
I agree, facial recognition software is highly important especially because most people are often incapable of recognizing the face of a person they saw commit a crime, or like you said, people they pass by on the street. In fact, sometimes the mind makes up its own information to compensate for the details it does not remember.
The coolest technology is by far the use of body secreations and, more importantly, scent. I think that it would be incredibly cool to be able to “catch a bad guy” by proving it with their scent. Although it is said to “not be rock-solid”, and it is possible that there could be mistaken identities from using this technique, i still think that its pretty cool.
The scariest technology is definitely tracking people through the apps that they use on their phones. That is just creepy. The fact that someone can track where you are from your phone, without you knowing, and find your location within 25 feet is scary. Also, its seems like an invasion of their privacy since you are doing it without them knowing and although they gave consent to use the apps on their phones how are they supposed to know if they are being tracked or not? they cant? This is by far the creepiest technology.
The most important technology, I believe is the t-rays. Although there is alot of upset about this surveillance, I think it is a good step forward to ensure safety in airports. People say that it is an invasion of their privacy and that it is basically showing them naked on the moitor but its not like theyre saving them and going around showing other people. It is simply for the safety of everyone in the airport. I believe that it is the most important technology because airport safety is a major deal and it is definitely going to make them safer in my opinion.
By the year 2020 out technology will be much more advanced. I believe that it will be much more compact, such as smaller cameras and possibly cameras everywhere like the ones at airports that can see through your clothing. why just stop at airports? Shouldnt everywhere be equally protected and secure? Therefore, if technology/surveillance is more compact and less obvious then it will be able to be hidden in spots where people cant see them. If someone then commits a crime it could be caught on camera because they did not know that a camera was there. Although people are upset as it is now by the airport T-rays it seems logical to me to use them because it is the best way to see what is on a person and ensure the safety of everyone in the airport. That is why I believe that in the future there will be alot more of these cameras in more places and much more compact.
The Domestic Security Enhancement Act, released by the Center for Public Integrity in February was named _________.
A. DSEA B. Patriot II C. Patriot Act D. Nationalist Act
I agree with you on numbers one and two, but I don’t agree with your points about the airport scanners. They seem excessively intrusive for such a small benefit. They might catch extremely obvious threats, but there is a good chance that those would have been caught by observant security personnel. The benefit doesn’t outweigh the costs. If someone really wants to sneak past security, I’m not sure how much can be done to stop them, because they will know all the details of the system while the system knows nothing about them.
The coolest technology is definitely stride recognition. It can survey the way one walks from a distance using the movements of their arms and legs, and the time it takes to complete one step. Knowing that we have come as far as figuring out who someone is by the way they walk is incredible.
The scariest advance is the iPhone apps. I actually use a few of the apps mentioned in the article- Pandora, Facebook, Google maps, and Youtube-, and seeing the kind of information that is being sent to “trackers” is a little unsettling. E
The coolest technology is definitely stride recognition. It can survey the way one walks from a distance using the movements of their arms and legs, and the time it takes to complete one step. Knowing that we have come as far as figuring out who someone is by the way they walk is incredible.
The scariest advance is the iPhone apps. I actually use a few of the apps mentioned in the article- Pandora, Facebook, Google maps, Youtube-, and seeing the kind of information that is being sent to “trackers” is a little unsettling; even if it is just for ads. This is also happening without the phone users consent, which seems a little sketchy to me.
I think that the T-ray body scanners are the most important today. They may be an invasion of privacy, but images aren’t stored anywhere in the scanner and not everyone is forced to have this done. If it is saving lives, I think it should be used, not scrutinized.
By 2020 I think we will have better quality cameras for surveillance. And those camera will probably be in most public/some private places. We might have better fingerprint detectors and facial recognition.
TSA procedures require _____ security officers to supervise body scans.
a. one b. four c. two d. ten
I can’t really agree with the stride recognition being the coolest, though it is cool. I just feel like it wouldn’t work as well as it should have to in order to identify people. I mean, you can fake a walk. I totally agree with the iPhone apps thing. They can send that information to whoever they want, and that’s unnerving. The same goes for Facebook. When someone else owns all your information like that, it’s almost demeaning as an individual and citizen of the United States. I wrote the same thing about the body scanners; as long as they are strictly an airport security thing, I feel like that technology would do more good than harm, and it would be much less intrusive than current measures. I suppose its more likely that we’ll have better quality cameras, but I’d prefer voice recognition.
i agree that the most important technology is the body scanner . it seems like it could prevent a lot of threats to the public from becoming real dangers . I also agree with your 2020 technology ideas . However , I disagree with the coolest technology being stride recognition , and i disagree that the scariest technology is the trackers in your iPhone .
I completely agree with the iPhone apps idea. When I saw that the WSJ has a whole list of apps and the breakdown of where the information from said apps goes, I got really creeped out. I use those apps, too, and even though the information that flows to third parties is mainly general, non-private info, it scares me that the app developers could take the next step and start to send more personal and private information to third parties without our knowledge.
1. The coolest technology has to be the biometrics stuff companies are working to perfect; it would be so cool to have a reader that could tell you who someone was just by their unique scent. If the technology could be perfected, all you would have to do to find a suspect would be to walk into a bar or something with a little scanner and see if their scent is dectected. I feel like that would make life so much easier.
2. The scariest technology is definately the tiny video cameras that no one could see, but that would be everywhere. I feel like that is a total invasion of privacy, to watch citizens go about their everyday lives. I don’t do anything illegal, but I still wouldn’t want the government watching every move I make. It would make me super paranoid.
3. The most important technology would be, I think, the sensors/x-ray things that could determine metal or plastic from human flesh. I feel like this would be really useful in airports for security; basically, you could be strip searched without being stripped. That would be more convienient and also less humiliating.
4. Realistically, by 2020 there should be better voice recognition software. I feel like this could be a really valuble tool in surveillience. Every home should have security passcodes with voice recognition; and, people could be required to give a voice sample for the data base, saying the same line, to gather baseline data. I feel like that could be totally achievable.
5. Section 101 of the DSEA act would allow federal agents to
A. Declare anyone, including American citizens, forgien powers
B. Search any property in the nation without a warrant
C. Be held NOT liable for actions done under direct orders from the president or attorney general
D. Issue “national security letters”
I agree with the voice recognition software. It could be extremely helpful but is currently underdeveloped.
I agree with the biometrics stuff, but we already have cameras in most places even thought the government doesnt see them all unless they have a warrant. The voice recognition software if useful, but runs into the same problem as current fingerprinting: what if you have a recording of their voice? If they can find a fix to that, then it would be really, really useful.
The coolest technology by far is… gait analysis, because you can wear a disguise but it is hard to change the way a person walks, because the motor movements are hardwired when we are young and it is difficult to change them. And the programming must be pretty good to identify different gaits.
The scariest technology would have to be… the software-defined radio because it can its accessibility is its supposed function but it also leaves it open to be easily hacked and used for numerous purposes, most of which are probably up to no good.
The most important technology would be… targeted ads because with them it can allow the consumer to get the product best fitted for them, increasing trade and economic success everywhere.
By the year 2020, we will be… using DNA as IDs, passports, and credit cards.
Big Brother is _____________ A) your younger brother B) your friend C) the government D) your nickname
I agree that the scariest technology would have to be the software-defined radio. There are many criminals out there that would look up information on your computer such as credit card numbers and social security numbers. The ability to connect to one of the software-defined radios is far too easy for everyday people.
The coolest technology by far is the ability to recognize an individual based on their distinctive body odor, breath, or saliva. This would be based on the faint combination of chemicals that make up a person’s scent or spit. I think this is the coolest technology because when you think of surveillance you normally think about being watched by a camera, but this technology would recognize you based on your odor. I have just never heard of anything like this before and think that it would be one of the more accurate, but difficult, technologies to use.
The scariest technology would have to be the wireless technology called software-defined radio. This technology has “superscanners” that can be tuned by many individuals outside of the government. This means that your neighbors could have access to your computer and all the information stored on it, which could lead to many problems.
The most important technology would be the facial recognition. This is because many times a criminal is caught on camera or a picture is gathered, but the government still can’t tell who he or she is because they don’t have a database of what everyone looks like. With the facial recognition software this would be possible. The only problem would be making sure the images of the people are accurate and stay updated.
By the year 2020, there will be cameras everywhere! They will track our every move and know exactly who we are. The cameras will be of much higher quality than today’s and will be of great benefit. In my opinion, these upgrades in surveillance are not that big of a deal. They are not looking to catch people doing minor crimes. These cameras are looking in patterns of people’s behavior that could hint at the possibility they are a terrorist. If you are not doing anything wrong, these cameras will not have an impact on everyday life. So in the end the cameras will go unnoticed by the majority of the people who are behaving and obeying all laws.
A kindred technology can “see” the molecular composition of matter using:
a. finger prints b. wavelengths of energy c. software-defined radio d. glasses
1) The coolest technology is the technological noses that can identify people by the unique combination of chemicals they emit, or identify drugs or compounds used in bomb making, and thus set of an alarm somewhere. I’m not sure how accurate this would be, considering the amount of stuff we put in the air, and the fact that many things have multiple purposes – such as some things used in bomb making. If we can figure out how to work through these issues, then this could be a very useful technology, and something that most people don’t think of when it comes to surveillance.
2) The scariest technology to me are the internet trackers – “cookies” and the like – that are used by advertising companies. They follow you around on the internet, compiling information you didn’t know was being saved anywhere, such as what websites you go to and what you do on those websites, and they use it to figure out so many little details about you. I know that my face and age and name and home address are already known by the government and a decent number of colleges, so it bothers me a little that a stranger can find that out when they want to, but not that much, because I know that it is out there. But the idea that people can follow my every move on the internet – a place where (except on social networking sites) you feel like you have anonymity – and use that to make a list of what movies I like, what I do for fun, and also where I live, my age and my gender is kind of creepy.
3) I think the most important technology will be the facial recognition in cameras, because not only will it help to find major baddies, but also can help you find missing people. But on the subject of the major baddies, it will help find people who have committed more major crimes. If we try to put too many people on the facial recognition, then the search would take too long per each person, diminishing its usefulness, since the bad guy could be gone before the camera ID’s him. But if they can overcome the many potential difficulties inherent in this technology, this could be a major aid to law enforcement and anti-terrorist efforts.
4) I think this facial recognition technology will be at least partially in place by 2020, but we will have to wait and see how effective it is.
What legislation would contradict the precedent of the Nuremberg trials that following orders is not an excuse for breaking the law?
a) Patriot act b) Patriot II c)The 21st amendment d) the fourth amendment
I agree completley with your statement on the most important technology, mister murray. facial recognition will always be the most important surveillance tool, especially when finding and determining a crimminal from a law abiding citizen.
The coolest technology in my eyes is the body odor, sweat, and/or saliva that can be used to identify a person that is a potential threat. This technology offers an intreging and unorthodox way to pin-point a specific person in a crowd. It seems science fiction to me that this technology could be used as an identifier.
The scariest technology would have to be the soft-ware defined radio surveillance. This technology allows for invasion of privacy. This equipment could make it easier to turn an unused cell phone into a bug or can pick up images from anyones computer that could be very private.
The most important technology is facial recognition equipment. Most surveillance relies on identification people and without facial recognition, the world would be blind in its attempt to find terrorists and thwart potential terrorist acts by these people.
By the year 2020, I believe the future of surveillance will be the Automated Warning And Response Engine, otherwise known as “AWARE”. This is a system of “smart” cameras that would be put all over the world (particularly large cities and urban areas) that could take humans out of the surveillance opperation and put computerized cameras to find terror before it begins. These cameras record everything that is happening in day to day life and then transmit it to a computer that runs through these streaming videos to find potential crimminals or terrorists walking the streets.
What poses a threat to americans following the creation of the Patriot act?
a) the libertys and freedom of americans b) the right to free speech by americans c) the right to practice any religon d) the right to a fair trial
The “gait recognition” software appears to be the coolest most interesting piece of technology in the article. I anticipated researchers developing facial recognition scans and DNA scans, but the notion that an individual can be identified solely on his or her “swagger” (walking style) is surprising. By analyzing torso proportions, distinctive movements, and the motion of the shoulders and legs security personnel are able to say, “That’s him, that’s the guy!”
Though the technology is not fully developed and generations away from actual use I find the idea that everything on one’s computer, from a Google search on cyanide poisoning to more personal emails between friends can be permanently stored. With the written word it is sometimes difficult to detect sarcasm or distinguish a joke from an actual threat which could pose a serious problem in the future. In addition, a harmless project for school could attract negative attention from authorities.
I believe the most important surveillance technology to be facial recognition. Although I am not comfortable with someone analyzing every minute detail of my face it is a small price to pay for home security. This type of technology can create your own personal face map by shinning an infrared light on an individual’s facial features. This would especially come in handy with any type of video documented robbery. Since witnesses cannot always accurately identify the perpetrator of the crime due to an unreliable memory, highly developed facial recognition technology could prevent a lot of innocent people from going to jail. That is depending on how well the software functions.
In 2020 I could see America using eye scanners, though not as technologically advanced as in the “Minority Report” (That was mind-blowing!) or focusing on research in that area. I would also expect to see more developed cameras that can focus in details like irises, physical features, and behaviors and match this information to a large database that can identify the person.
After the attacks on 9/11 what percentage of the population was willing to allow the government to monitor their internet activity?
A) 60% B) 72% C) 78% D) 69%
I think you made a very good point in regards to facial recognition being an important and useful technology. I hadn’t considered it before, but the idea that it can precisely identify a criminal will help keep our stores/streets safer from crime (since this will deter criminals) and it will solve the problem of the easily influenced memories of eye-witnesses. I think you’ve made an excellent point.
i think the coolest technology is also the scariest technology , which is the many ways of surveillance that are being used and invented . For example , the ability to track people from far distances without them even knowing or being bothered , based on their sweat , ears , skin , ect . seems really interesting . And , the fact that this will help the government know everything about everyone in the world is pretty cool too , because the fact that they can even keep that much data about so many people is cool , because it doesn’t seem easy .
However , the surveillance technology seems scary because it can be used to pinpoint people who really haven’t done anything serious , and they can be targeted by the public . Just like the woman on the train who was identified by her purse and face , someone who has different views than others may be identified and possibly abused by people who think differently (regarding to religion , people’s rights , and so on) .
I think one of the most important technologies may be the new body scanners that we are beginning to use in airports . While they aren’t liked by some because people believe that the scanners can see you naked , they could be extremely helpful in protecting the public . If these scanners can actually see anything that is hidden in your clothes , we could prevent any airplane attacks , or other threats in more places if they are used more widely .
By the year 2020 , i think we will have started keeping data on many people on the planet . We have already started being able to track people based on their cell phone use and what they say over the internet or landlines . It seems like it would be easy enough to start tracking everything people do electronically , especially since technology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of society .
What do the new TSA scanners do ?
a) see you naked b)see the contours of your body c)detect any metal on your body d)track your scent
I agree that the coolest technologies are also the scariest. They’re all pretty scary when you think about. They each invade your privacy, personal aspects of your life that you think no one knows about, and even your weirdest mannerisms. I also don’t understand how people and what kind of people come up with these inventions. They all seem so far-fetched and intricate, but nonetheless impressive.
1) The coolest technology by far is the stride identification. To be able to identify a person by the way they walk, their body movements, and their body proportions is insane. I’m guessing it could be used as an additional test when facial recognition is uncertain-it could be the deciding factor. Because there has been a lot of doubt, specualtion, and loopholes in the facial recognition system, this invention could be an important asset in knowing who’s who.
2) The scariest technology would have to be the myriad sensors found in stores. The fact that it can detect my unique body scent is just creepy, and then it takes a step further and provides the store owner with my credit records and things that I might want to buy! I think that if I go to a store then I already know what I need/want to buy-I really don’t need their help. Spend all that money on something more useful!
3) The most important technology would be General Electric’s “tickle of air” machine. It’s really efficient-seeing as it takes a few seconds and requires no pat-downs from security, and it’s also kind of funny. I think it would make the experience much more enjoyable; it would be something to look forward to instead of dread. The substances that need to be detected will be detected using this machine; such as, explosives, narcotics, and weapons. Because when it comes down to it, those objects are all that really matter. This machine will aid in our safety and will get us to our destinations quicker.
4) By the year 2020, we will be wearing clothes in which micro-chip software has been placed. So basically stores will sell clothes with tracking and detecting devices on them. The government will be able to track everyone, 24 hours a day-7 days a week. And they will be able to detect if we are carrying weapons/drugs/you name it or if we are in an unsafe area.
5) Question: Which country has more surveillance cameras per capita than any other?
a. the U.S. b. Denmark c. the U.K. d. Iraq
I agree with you about the “tickle of air” machine. I think that if people were at least somewhat enjoying themselves rather than dreading, or even just being non-cooperative, towards the pat-down searches, it will allow things to move much swifter.
Do you think that the stride identification may be another instance in which people are often confused for other people? If someone has a similar stride that I do, but they are a terrorist, and I just happen to walk like that, do you think that these sensors will not be able to pick up the difference?
I think the coolest technology is definitely being able to identify someone based on their sweat, body odor, or skin flakes because normally when you think of being “kept under surveillance,” not too many people would assume that you mean you’re keeping track of their body odor. Such heat that surrounds the person is not something that people even think about paying attention to, so the fact that something as small as that will be able to identify someone is really cool.
I think the scariest technology is having all your electronic activities such as web-sites, phone calls, text messages, and email monitored. Currently, that is how mostly everyone communicates with one another so I feel like it is a huge invasion of privacy. I wouldn’t feel safe sending out anything personal over electronics if I knew that at any moment, government could bring up a text and prove me guilty for something.
I think one of the most important technologies that are out there are the full-body scanners that have been implemented in airports. Even though it is a controversial issue at the moment, in a few years I’m almost positive that there will be evidence that they really do help prevent any sort or airline attacks. It may be an invasion of privacy in some ways, however, there have been many attacks on airplanes so if this is a way that can definitely reduce them, it’s worth it.
By the year 2020, I think we will be tracked to the point where it’s almost excessive. The small cameras will probably be implemented everywhere, and the radio-frequency identification tags will be planted under almost everyone’s skin.
How long does an average TSA scan take?
a. 5 seconds b. 10 seconds c. 15 seconds d. 20 seconds
I agree with Kim on the electronic tracking being very scary because the government would have full access to all you say to everyone, and they have no idea of the tone or context of a conversation and could misinterpret a conversation and believe that someone was a threat that wasn’t.I also agree that being able to track someone through their bodily secretions is pretty cool because you could then find skin flakes anywhere and know exactly who was there and you would be able to pin point offenders anywhere in the country. Also in my answer I said the body scanners were the most important, so I agree with Kim that they are the most important because they are improving security the most at this point and giving American citizens who are flying a bit of assurance that the odds of something bad happening are low. But, they are also invading privacy, so while they are important they are also very dangerous. I also think the idea that by 2020 that we would all be tracked to an extreme point is true. I also think the fact that they could put trackers under our skin by then is really creepy because then no matter where you go, someone always knows where you are and if someone could get into that database they could find you specifically at any time of any day.
I agree that being tracked through your electronic activites like emails, texts, and visiting web sites is pretty scary. Nobody uses “old fashioned” ways to communicate anymore and these technological ways are extremely popular. By listening in to your phone calls, looking at the web sites you visit, and reading your texts and emails, the government would be able to know pretty much everything about you. It is a huge invasion of privacy that not many people would be willing to give up.
1) I think the coolest technology is the ability to identify people from their odors, saliva or breathe. I think it is the coolest because the fact that we can pin point the differences in people’s breathes and saliva when they are made of the same basic chemical is astounding. Also the fact that we are all made up of a mix of differences in these substances and that we can identify the subtle differences will be important in DNA evaluation in the future and may be able to help us better identify offenders.
2) I think the scariest technology would be the facial recognition software that could detect even the pores and wrinkles on your face. It scares me because it would be analyzing every line and dot on your face which would be really weird to think about because then if your face changes subtly the government could think that you are trying to conceal your identity and begin investigating into your every activity.
3) I definitely think that the most important technology is the milimeter wave airport scanners are currently the most important technology because they are able to detect objects hidden on a person that would not be detected by a metal detector. While there is some controversy as to their privacy intrusion, I believe they will be able to keep up the with the growing trends of how people get dangerous things on to airplanes.
4) By the year 2020, we will probably have the technology to keep tabs on practically everyone in the USA. We will probably have technology that will be able to detect where a person is at a given time and what they were doing at a given time due to cell phones, computers, cameras, etc. Also by the year 2020 the government will probably also have the ability to database any conversations said via webcam between suspects. They currently can database emails, text messages, tap phone lines, etc. but by 2020 they will probably have the technology to tap into webcam conversations and can use that combined with databases of usernames to identify targets. Also there will probably also be the technology almost everywhere to detect materials that could be used as explosives and they will probably be more sensitive to those materials and the government may be able to stop more attacks.
5) There are two types of body scanners that are being used today. One is the millimeter wave scanner that bombards the body with __________ waves. The other is the backscatter scanner that creates images that are _________ and ____________.
a) gamma; clear; visible b) micro; blurry; dark c) radio; spectral; lumpy d) gamma; blurry; lumpy e) none of the above
To me the coolest technology has to be the use of body odor, sweat, and thermal reading. This technology is cool to me because it is a different form of surveillance. It is very unusual and unexpected. If mastered this could also be one of the most useful technologies.
The scariest technology has to be the body scanner that can see underneath of your clothes. This is because in my opinion this is the most invasive technology when it comes to your privacy. Others allow people to find information about you but this allows officials to see you naked! That’s just weird.
Although I think it is the scariest the full body scanners maybe the most important. If they actually do their job correctly these scanners could save lives by preventing terrorist attacks by find well concealed weapons or bombs or anything that could be used in an act of terrorism.
I think that by 2020 the cameras will be equipped with facial recognition software capable of acurratly identifying a person from all angles and facial expressions.
A universal sensor, small and cheap enough to scatter in public places, and smart enough to sniff out anything that comes its way, without being preprogrammed to find specific molecules is known as what to the surveillance world?
a) the unatainable b) the holy grail c) the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow d) old technology
1. The coolest technology is the sniffer chips that can pick out the odors of a specific person. This is an interesting and unobtrusive way to establish some sort of blanket protection for public places. Of course, the technology would have to be extremely accurate and specific to be useful. It could pick up biological weapons or explosives and direct agents to deal with the problem. There are a lot of obstacles standing between this and feasibility, however. The diffusive nature of chemicals in air and the sheer amount of indicators being produced in a crowded area make this technology difficult to implement well.
2. The scariest technology is the information collection system that gatherd literally everything it can access. It is scary for two reasons: one, privacy may become an obsolete term as people surrender their data both willingly and unwillingly, and two the government is inundating itself with data that it does not yet know how to use. This robs citizens of their privacy and at the same time creates a huge financial drain as the government tries to learn how to separate the false positives from the true.
3. The most important technology is the short-wavelength scanner. It has the potential to scan crowds and pick out dangerous objects without causing a real invasion of privacy. This is useful in our own airports as well as oversees in places like Iraq where it could scan the road in front of a vehicle and pick out IEDs from a safe distance.
4. By 2020, we will be able to scan and analyze all phone lines relatively reliably. Depending on a variety of factors, such as accent, time of day, location, key words, etc, some calls will receive more scrutiny than others and may even cause the participants to be put on government watch lists.
All of the following powers were proposed in the DSEA (Patriot II) Act except:
a) the right of the government to strip suspects of citizenship
b) the ability to conceal the names and reason for detaining prisoners
c) the capability to tap phone lines before obtaining a warrant
d) the power to demand business’s to turn over private data
1. I think the coolest technology is an artificial nose in doorways because it not only heightens our safety in regards to terrorism but it’s an invention that no one would have even imagined possible a decade ago. This “nose” is much more powerful than any human nose and can detect fain traces in people’s hair! The precision of this technology is remarkable.
2. I think the applications on smart phones are the scariest devices because they transmit personal user data to other companies with out the user’s knowledge or consent. This is scary because it is not only violating the user’s privacy but it’s also opening up doors to problems like identity theft and hacking.
3. I believe the most important technology to the world is that of detecting molecules that carry genetic information within a human cell. The ability to detect and identify these molecules gives doctors and scientists the opportunity to detect diseases in their early stages and to quickly treat and prevent them from spreading. This technology can help millions of people suffering from various disease and it advances the medical world one step closer to finding cures for more common diseases such as cancer.
4. I believe that by the year 2020 the universal sensor will be an efficient and useful technology in use through out airports and in other public locations to detect specific molecules that are found in terrorist weapons. This will greatly help increase national security.
Q: Airport scanners are able to map out a persons body through the use of which of the following?
a)radiation b)gamma-rays c)radio waves d) x-rays
I agree that the artifical nose in hallways to sniff out dangerous chenicals. Also, I agree that cameras in airports could be able to detect certain molecules in terrorist weapons to make sure that nothing is getting on planes that could be dangerous.
1. I think the coolest technology is facial recognition in camers, because it is easier to track criminals and you may not recognize them at first glance.
2. I think the scarieest technology is trackers in cell phones. I think its one thing for parents to put one in their kids phones, but not for a controlling spouse.
3. I think the most important technology is the facial recognition because it is easier to track people and to be sure that the person you see is the one you are looking for.
4. I believe by 2020 emergency vehicles should be able to track any cell phone because if you don”t know where you are and call 911 you can still get help.
Q: Which country uses more cameras per person?
A) Afganistan
B) Canada
C) U.K.
D) U.S.
About your comment on the cellphone trackers, what would you constitute as a ‘controlling spouse’? Some children may be subjected to abusive households, but where does the government get to decide who is allowed to track their children and spouses and who is not?
The coolest and scariest technology is the stride detector. Changing the way you walk, your body movements, and your body proportions would be extremely difficult to do. If this is combined with facial recognition technology there’s a good chance we could easily identify every person simply by analyzing things they can’t control.
I think the artificial nose in doorways would be most important to the world in order to decrease terrorist activities, which is the goal of many of these surveillance activites. It’s something that would be almost unavoidable (you’ll probably have to pass through a door in order to sneak a bomb or something into a crowded place) and if it works it would prevent the death and injuries of the would-be victims.
I think by 2020 almost all cameras will be equipped with facial recognition and maybe even stride recognition software. The advantages in identifying people who are a possible threat is great so these technologies will probably recieve a lot of attention and be put into effect quickly.
Section 105 of Patriot II (citizenship death penalty) could potentially have which of the following effects? (choose all that apply)
a.citizens could become immigrants in their own country
b. citizens can be labeled as “foreign powers”
c. citizens would lose their ultimate control of relinquishing their citizenship
d. citizens will have to prove to the federal government that they shouldn’t force them to relinquish confidentail personal information
While it would not be my first choice for the coolest and scariest, I do think that the stride detector is amazing. One thing that we simply cannot control all the time is the way we walk and the proportions of our bodies. I think that your idea of combining it with facial recognition software is a great idea, and it could increase the accuracy of these two technologies and definitely help catch more criminals. It is really creepy though, that the governement could scan our faces and bodies, and immediately identify us. Combined with what they already know about our personal lives, we could have no secrets.
After reading your post, I agree with you that the “nose” is the most important technology. Like you said, terrorists look to target highly populated areas, and they would most likely have to use a door to get there so this technology could really help stop a lot of attacks.
I also agree with your idea for a future technology; I think this technology is pretty close to actually happening (maybe even before 2020), and it could also help catch a lot of criminals in the future.
1. I think the “Messenger’s in your Mouth” technologies discussed in the “State of Surveillance” article were the coolest. It amazes me how much a person’s mouth can tell researchers, and the idea that each person emits a unique scent that can be identified by “super-sensors” seems almost super-natural and totally mind-boggling.
2. While there were some pretty crazy types of surveillance technologies mentioned, the one that scares me the most is the amount of information that is sent to these databases from the Apps and things we all use of our iPods and phones. It can tell them where I live, how old I am, what my name is, and even little things about my personality like what type of music I listen to, what games I like to play, what I’m searching for on the internet, even what I’m talking about with my friends. I think this scares me the most because it came as such a surprise; I use this stuff every day and had no idea that every little move I make is being tracked. It seems like the government has to be aware of everything, even though the type of music I listen to probably could not tell them if I were involved in acts of terrorism.
3. Although the screening devices in airports have caused a lot of controversy, I feel as though they are extremely important to today’s society. Threats in airports can cause catastrophic damage and a lot of death so we essentially need technologies like this to keep us safe from another disaster like 9/11. Even though it may be an invasion of privacy, I think it is necessary to protect America’s citizens.
4. In 2020, I think they will have a technology that can hear and see everything around it, all the time. Perhaps it would be programmed into our phones and electronic devices so we would never really be alone. I can potentially see phones having a type of sonar that can hear people’s conversations and filter through to detect “dangerous” conversations, even if the phone is off. It’s really scary, if you think about it, that true privacy may no longer exist in the future.
5. Which of the following is NOT true regarding Britain’s security cameras and facial recognition software?
A. The facial recognition is often unreliable due to poor lighting.
B. Britain has more security cameras per capita than any other country.
C. The facial recognition has led to a large increase in detecting and stopping crime.
D. The facial recognition is not able to adapt to the slight aging of suspects.
The coolest technology by far is the stride recognition technology. Stride recognition is a software used to pick out a person from surveillance tapes solely from the way the walk/move. This technology is cool because now a face to face comparison is not the only way to pick out the person you’re looking for in a video.
The scariest technology by far is definitely the body scanners used in airports. These devices are very useful because they can see everything, but are also very scary because they see EVERYTHING. Its a strange feeling knowing the government knows what you look like naked.
Although the scariest, I also think the most important technology is the airport body scanners. These machines can see everything so there is no physical way to smuggle anything on to a plane, whether it weapons or drugs. These machines should cause a rapid decrease in airline terrorism.
By the year 2020, I am almost positive it will be required to carry around some sort of I.D at all times (whether a drivers license or credit card) that has a gps chip that tracks your every move. This technology already exists, so how do we know this isn’t necessarily happening now?
Which terrorist caused the necessity for airport body scanners?
A) Shoe Bomber
B) Underwear Bomber
C) Peroxide Based Explosive Bomber
D) The Nipple Ring Bomber
Why do you think that the American people have such an issue with the idea of the government seeing what they look like without clothes on? Enough people choose to subject their bodies to the view of the public by posting pictures and videos on the internet, as well as taking part in adult films. I understand that not everyone does this or feels this way, but it was interesting to me that so many people were this concerned about it.
And I agree with your statement about the I.D. chips in the future. Some people have even chosen to be implanted with a chip containing medical information. How much longer will it be until that chip is mandatory at birth, and is what we use to pass through airports, apply for certain jobs, etc.
p.s. I liked your potential answers for your question.
The coolest technology by far is the fact that one day, people can be identified by their saliva or the smell of their breath. The idea that scientists and technology could analyze something as complicated as the smell of someone’s breath is crazy, but seems plausible when you consider all of the technology that exists today, most of which we never dreamed could happen. The fact that saliva/smell of breath is so individual means that it would be an effective way to identify a person, provided that the technology that would analyze it works.
The scariest technology would have to be the iPhone/Android apps that take your data and give it or sell it to third parties because, until very recently, I was completely unaware of the amount of information that is transferred practically under our noses. This information can then be used to tailor advertisements and content to a user, and make them more likely to read more on a site or click on an ad. It’s scary to realize that the technology that we know and love can be used as a weapon to manipulate us.
The most important technology would be the airport body scanners, not only because they are a hot topic in the field of security, but because they are the most obviously intrusive means used by the government of inspecting the public. Even though they are creepy and extreme, they seem to work as far as preventing prohibited items from being transported aboard airplanes.
By the year 2020, instead of carrying ID, we’ll only have to spit on little chips to identify ourselves — they will analyze our saliva and provide authorities and related personnel with our necessary information.
(This question is different from the one I wrote in class, seeing as I hadn’t actually read the material…)
How do the predicted airport scanners from “The State of Surveillance” work?
a. takes a picture of the body
b. shines tetrahertz waves on the body
c. measures the heat radiating from a body versus other, possibly illegal, items on the body
d. b & c
In my opinion, I think the coolest technology by far is how scientists are using body odor to diagnose diseases such as mental illness and cancer. This could be used in so many ways beyond the realm of security and surveillance, and can be an aid to doctors everywhere. However, this could also be abused by life insurance companies and employers by giving them the technology necessary to find out intimate details of your health. If I am applying to McDonalds, I don’t think my employer has a right to know if I have a mental disease; but this technology could someday give them that power.
The scariest technology would have to be software-defined radio. This gives the government, as well as technologically gifted people, the ability to listen in on phone conversations all the time, use phones not in use as bugs, and allows people to be able to spy on the people surrounding them who are on the internet or using a phone. I think this is so scary because it not only lets the government have a look into your personal life; it gives the same look to the man down the hall from your apartment that is good with computers. It is opening up too many possibilities for people who do not work for the government and who are not focused on national security an opportunity to look into the private lives of American citizens.
The most important technology would be the prototype from U.S. Genomics Inc. that uses ‘particular molecules to tag important DNA sequences in the genes of lethal pathogens”. I think this would be particularly useful because it helps the government detect potentially hazardous substances without breaching anyone’s privacy. They will not be able to see us naked, or tell see the exact contents of your bag; just be able to pick out certain pathogens that are lethal by using a photo detector to recognize the light given off by the fluorescent dye in the pathogens. It is an efficient way to catch harmful substances without treading on the Fourth Amendment.
By the year 2020, the government hopes to see a sort of “universal sensor”, one that is cheap, effective, and not easily detected. Although the technology is not here yet, some companies have worked on prototypes for this product. Sandia National Laboratories designed a “lab-on-a-chip” that can find chemical and biological agents. Small, tiny channels are engraved onto its surface, and when a gas or liquid moves through the channels, they come into contact with a certain material that then measures how much that slows the gas or liquid, which then helps identify it. Technology like this is already being used to help monitor the Contra Costa County (located in California) water supply.
Question:
What is not something that Apps on your iPhone are sending out to companies?
A.) Username and password
B.) Location
C.) Level of Education
D.) Age and Gender
1) Technology that I think is the coolest would have to be the gait analysis. Facial scanners and fingerprint readers can be rendered useless by a slight change in a persons appearance. But the way a person walks is hard to change because we do it all subconsciously.
2) I think the scariest technology is the governments ability to tag people without them noticing. What if another country acquires this technology and uses it to plan assassinations or attacks on our country?
3) Technology I think to be most important would be the DNA scanners that read biometric structures of possible diseases and chemicals that could be hazzardous to humans and vital to diagnosis and treatment.
4) In the year 2020, I think it is reasonable to say that we will have technology to teleport objects of a certain size all around the world. And hopefully within the next 50 years, the ability to teleport humans.
5) After 9/11 what did the Bush administration greatly suppress?
A) Terroristic threats to the US from Al Qeda
B) The outbreak of government failure accusations
C) Hate crimes towards monitorities in our country
D) Government debt (haha!)
I agree that one of the coolest technologies today is the ability to detect ilnesses with the use of a persons scent. Hopefully employers wouldn’t use this information against you.
I also agree that the governments ability to listen and record all phone conversations is scary. I think a restriction by the phone companies to only release phone calls to the government for reasons concerning national security is a good idea.
I completely agree that the ability for diseases to be detected through DNA is the most important technology we have. With the ability to detect lethal chemicals without breaking the 4th amendment is a great thing.
I think that a universal sensor is a great idea considering the possibility that it’s technology could be used for wrong reasons, i think it must be restricted to strict government access and used only for what the government says it will be used for.