Mulling over Mike Powell to Steve Asher 21 Jul 2005

> While that is true, there are a number of issues raised in the use
> of "smart cards", the collection of data, and secondary uses of the
> data.

 MP> That is sort of what I was getting at.  Some of the folks involved
 MP> might think they are doing a good thing, but there is something
 MP> more sinister going on, or at the very least, the potential for it
 MP> to be so. 

It is largely being presented as a good thing, convenience, no need to
fumble for change, reduced queue times, faster service with less staff
& greater stock control, better planning for growth etc. Much of that
is true, and most advances in technology do benefit the user ("consumer").
We wouldn't want to have to book long distance calls with the operator,
when we can dial them ourselves "instantly". But we are heading in a
direction where every action or transaction is monitored & recorded
for our convenience, or for some social good - anti-terrorism, reduction
of fraud & tax evasion etc, and all of the data can be mined & examined
for the most innocent of links.

Tonight's episode of "Beyond Tomorrow" is a small example of how
convenience
can result in monitoring & tracking... the convenience of being able to use
a mobile phone to pay for a bus ride was noted, but there was no mention
of the ability to identify all the bus riders for future investigation.
The idea is to place your mobile phone by the ticketing machine on boarding,
and again when alighting, to give a record of the journey start & finish,
times & locations, name & mobile number of passenger etc. Handy for catching
terrorists & criminals, perhaps, & also for people who take a day off work
to go to the cricket, or visit their girlfriend, etc.

============================================================================

Mobile Credit Cards

Location: Hanau, Germany
Reporter: Graham Phillips

Synopsis:

Forget hunting for change on your pocket - the cashless society creeps ever 
closer, and if you think the credit card was going to be the culprit, think 
again. Turns out the mobile phone may spell the end of cash. In Germany they 
are experimenting with a system where you can buy anything with your phone. 
In trials with the local bus service patrons just hop on board the bus, and 
the phone does the rest. It communicates with the user, buys the ticket, and 
bills it back to your phone carrier - and how do you pay the phone bill? - by 
phone of course!

( http://www.beyondtomorrow.com.au/stories/ep9/MobileCC.html )

Cheers, Steve..

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