I like to think of myself as on top of technology trends - but I heard a new term recently.
Ambient Computing represents the ubiquitous computing reality we're transitioning toward: Sensors, displays, etc. embedded throughout the world. If you think about Smart Homes, or the Internet Of Things, these are building blocks for ambient computing.
We've already seen some early examples of this technology gaining adoption - and it's developing fast.
I flip-flop between excitement about the cornucopia of useful applications and fear of the safety and privacy concerns these technologies will inevitably create ... or have already created.
James O'Malley via Twitter
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about the surveillance state - and how many cameras different places now have (Spoiler Alert: China has a ridiculous number). That, paired with facial recognition technologies, means that ubiquitous technology has "interesting" consequences.
It's hard to imagine a country like China not abusing that technology, but it's also hard to imagine the US not abusing that technology. The temptation is too high. An example being the repeated requests by the US government for backdoor access into iPhones.
It's a slippery slope, and unfortunately, the few often ruin a technology for the many. I err on the side of protecting the many from the few, but it's up to you to decide where your comfort level with lack of privacy is.
To a certain extent, privacy is now a fallacy (or at least it doesn't mean what it used to mean)... but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to protect what privacy you have left.
