The Emperor has no Privacy

The COIL

Mobile devices and wearable technology are redefining the phrase "personal computer" - no longer conjuring up thoughts of deskop or even laptop devices, but rather devices smaller - and more powerful - than many ever dreamed possible. The mobile phone in your hand - the one that has more computing performance than a 1979 Cray Supercomputer - is quickly being transformed into a mesh of wearable devices, alowing you remain connected 24x7 and throw off more private data than ever. With the rise of mobile and wearable tech comes the ability for services providers, their partners and, well, just about anybody with a few dollars, to track where you are, what you are doing, who you are doing it with, where you've been and how quickly you're likely to be doing it again at your next "habitual" destination. Oh, and the likely route you are going to take. Issues abound: what really differentiates mobile devices from wearable tech, and how are their privacy issues different? Why are we being pushed into an always-on/always-tracked society, and what is this data likely to reveal about ourselves over time?