A blog for breakfast

Look at that, a picture of my breakfast. I was thinking about doing a series where every morning I take a picture of my breakfast and then talk about what I read in the newspaper. The only problem is that I think you would get bored of pictures of coffee with milk and, don't read the newspaper.

This morning however is an exception day on one of those counts and, it isn't the reading of the newspaper. Because I am by train today and where I am going doesn't have an food facilities other than a factory lunch room, I decided to grab a proper breakfast from the station as my next meal slot will be eight or nine hours away.

It is nice to have internet on the train though, I don't use the 'free wi-fi' for obvious reasons, I tether my phone. This morning when I woke up though, my home connection had been cut, it was 430 am when it went out. I missed a bill somewhere so even though I found it and paid it, it is going to take days to clear through the banks. I will call them and get it reconnected before that but, it is a little silly considering. They have to check of course somehow if I have truly paid the bill but, isn't that what blockchains are for? Trust?

It isn't going to be long until all billing and associated actions are going to be travelling along blockchains as it is so much more efficient and if organised well, takes out a lot of the reference numbers required. For me at least, it would make the ease of running my business and marking receipts for the accountant much, much easier. This of course is going to bring more questions of tracking to the fore but, it isn't like they aren't doing it already.

It is going to get very interesting when it comes to privacy issues concerning blockchains and what is able to be scraped by them as more and more fill the space. I am not sure if it is better or not but perhaps with blockchain tech there is more chance of choosing what is and isn't pulled. Perhaps. This is an area I am not well versed in at all but at the moment, we know that we are being surveilled but, we don't really know how deep they can go. By all anecdotal accounts and from a few leaks, much deeper than most are comfortable with. As some have said, they know more about you, than you do.

Well, now they know what I had for breakfast. Although, because I used a card to pay, they likely already knew anyway. Governments and especially corporations, are like that pseudo-friend that is always trying to gather information to take note of and use against you at a later date. The one who you must always watch your words with. They have managed to create an environment however where oversharing is the norm.

Just like my gratuitous breakfast shot, people these days are comfortable sharing all kinds of information about themselves that wouldn't have been normal not so long ago. And, it it isn't only teenagers. I don't think it is by chance that this oversharing coincides with a massive increase in surveillance capabilities across the globe and I work under the assumption that whatever we think they can do, they can do much more.

The leaks, the dirty secrets, the character assassinations are going to continually increase going forward as more and more of people's past are uploaded and catalogued somewhere online. We are al going to have to come to terms with public figures that we know way too much about. It is going to be an awkward transition and learning experience for many I predict.

I still believe that even the safest and most careful among us are not as protected as they would believe as once all data is cross referenced, very good predictions can be made as to who or where someone is. One interesting thing that I think will test some of the surveillance capabilities is the rate of serial killer capture. There is something between 25 -50 serial killers operating in the United States at any one time but with cross referencing via an AI of things like transactions, tollgates, purchases and locations, is it possible to capture them or at least, narrow the search dramatically.

I wonder how many they will allow to continue so as not to give away their game. How many died so that the crack of the Enigma could be kept secret? Tactical collateral damage? Will that come into play when it is the public being hunted by killers? The easiest ways to catch high level criminals is to follow the money but that might become, follow the hash trail soon enough as so many of our life interactions become blockchained.

As mass adoption of the tech happens, there are going to be many new possibilities, questions raised and risks to face and although it has the potential to benefit us all greatly, there is always the flipside. There are always going to be people and organisations that will use what they have available to maximise their position, even if it means harming others immensely. Unfortunately, it is part of human nature and some people are unable to overcome themselves.

It is going to be an interesting ride though and the hope is that for the most part, more good than ill comes of it. Now though, my train journey is pulling to a close so, see you on the other side of today.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]