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Posted on 2006 by MG
A society with glass walls
Now imagine a glass-walled society.
Let me explain. Let's assume the following conditions:
- Each of us, at birth, is identified with a unique code. It sounds terrible to say, but in reality it already happens. In Italy it's the tax ID code. In other countries, other codes generated with various systems are used (for example, in the USA, it's the Social Security number), but that's already the case.
In any case, I don't care exactly what the code looks like. It's enough for me that it's unique, that it's valid in all countries, that it's the same online and offline, and, of course, that it's used on every device linked to the person, including cell phones.
- Every human being has a free internet connection, insured from birth to death, and identified by their code.
- Cash no longer exists. All payments, of any kind, are made via some sort of credit card and are recorded online.
- Any form of offline communication, from the telephone to the post, no longer exists. Everything runs online.
- All records, of any kind, from tax authorities to healthcare, insurance companies, banks, registry offices, telephone companies, shops, and even supermarket loyalty card collections, are in digital format (most of them already are), but above all, they are online.
- All surveillance equipment aimed at public places (even bars, airports, and shopping malls) is online. Even private ones, if anything, are online. If you set up a webcam to remotely monitor your dog or your child, I can see it too.
- No form of communication and no data can be encrypted.
- Everything online is public, accessible to anyone.
Ultimately, no privacy at all. At this point, we would know almost everything about everyone. To find out where a cell phone is currently located, and therefore the person carrying it, all we need to do is log into the telephone company's database. To find out how I spend money, who I paid, and when, all we need to do is search the transaction database. We would know what I bought at a particular supermarket, etc. We would know what my latest tests were and what illnesses I have or have had. We would know which clubs I frequent, which highway toll booths my car has passed through, which train/plane tickets I've bought, and whether anyone with my code has ever boarded one.
End of secrets.
End of state espionage because there's no espionage on things everyone can know.
End of most property crimes.
End of stupid family suspicions.
End of tax evasion.
Not bad!
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