Mobile phones expose human habitse
The whereabouts of more than 100,000 mobile phone users have been tracked in an attempt to build a comprehensive picture of human movements...
I worked with a client 10-12 years ago on the first of these location technologies. They had statistical software that could take the triangulated data from three mobile nodes and work out with sufficient accuracy where a mobile was most of the time, within about 20 metres (then). All mobiles give off regular (and free) 'here I am' signals. So if you had access to the data, the rest was 'free'. It was a car protection system.
The results showed that most people's movements follow a precise mathematical relationship - known as a power law. "That was the first surprise," he told BBC News. The second surprise, he said, was that the patterns of people's movements, over short and long distances, were very similar: people tend to return to the same few places over and over again.
"That was the first surprise," he told BBC News. The second surprise, he said, was that the patterns of people's movements, over short and long distances, were very similar: people tend to return to the same few places over and over again.
Well knock me down with a feather, I'd never have guessed it.
For example, Professor John Cleland of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Disease (LSHTM) said the study could be of use to people monitoring the spread of contagious diseases. "Avian flu is the obvious one," he told BBC News. "When an outbreak of mammalian infectious airborne disease hits us, the movement of people is of critical concern.".... ....For example, Nokia have put forward an idea to attach sensors to phones that could report back on air quality. The project would allow a large location-specific database to be built very quickly.
....For example, Nokia have put forward an idea to attach sensors to phones that could report back on air quality. The project would allow a large location-specific database to be built very quickly.
This is interesting because a former client of mine specialized in all manner of sensors, rigged in a box with a gsm phone module. The sensors were for gas, smoke, temperature etc etc - about 20 different ones. They were for remote installation ie you put one of these boxes out in the field (the gsm battery power lasts a long time without a display and key input). And at programmable intervals, the sensor records current state and sends the data via very short text message. Collecting and collating this data from many boxes, with auto-alerts when data from any location went outside prescribed bounds.
BTW I downloaded Seismac for my laptop. If your mac laptop has a motion/gravity sensor, the this little app does seismic readings all day long if you want. Some vulcanologist is working on a plan to network this info from millions of laptops around the world. You can't be me, I'm taken
Interesting, to say the least. The potential data stream from that sort of deeply person(al) bugging/tracking is incredible--always has been. As well as scary.
When I tended bar at a place near the University while I took post-grad courses in sociology and social psychology, I used to fantasize about bugging every bar table in the joint, and analyzing the web of relationships, the ebb and flow of ideas, the positional maneuvering, the unedited emergence of a deeper set of political and social beliefs- the comments when a black duo was on stage (me and Smitty)-- but I never had any doubt as to the Orwellian the way that data would inevitably be used. Some boxes hold great treasure--but nasty little snakes, too. "There is mysterious music in democracy, when people decide to believe in themselves." ---Bill Greider, The Nation.
It is like Psyche lighting the oil lamp--before you do it, stop and think! Not only is it, "What do you want to know?" but more importantly, "What will happen when you (try to) find out?"
The bill is itemized: 1) What is the price (consequences) of asking? 2) What happens to you when you have the answer a) because of how it changes you and, b) how it changes others when they know you know?
In your example you are thinking of a whole technology, and of course the problem is summarized: How can (will) it be (ab)used?
To the case at hand: Not only do cell phones cause brain cancer, but they enable the government--or anybody with money and access--to trace your movements and model your behavior, collectively or individually, to the advantage of . . . who? What's not to like!
