IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Winter 2013 - 32

networks, which is likely where the "people as senlink up technologies for tracking and surveillance of
sors" paradigm is headed [8]. recently, Cisco Systems
people with near total omniscience of their environratcheted up the original language of the Auto-ID
ment. This is the essence of the smart planet, or the
Center's vision. rather than simply call it the Inter"planetary skin," as a partnership between Cisco and
net of Things, they now enthuse that we are headed
NASA r&D has claimed [16]. But while smart plantoward an Internet of Everything. In light of this, we
ets are supposed to have everything to do with cities,
should perhaps now be considering the Internet of All
and smart grids, and smart meters, and monitoring
Things, in other words, the web of Things and People
bridges, and weather patterns, their real potential is
(woTaP) [9].
in the feedback mechanisms that pass
relationships today are more relhuman-centric data through wireless
We, the
evant than ever - that is, truly meansensor networks (wSNs). These seninformation
ingful human relationships - because
sors, sprawled all over our built and
predators and
of all the clatter of social networks that
natural environment, affixed to people,
the information animals, trees, transport vehicles, lampwould try to reduce them to marketing
links and data mining insights and other
posts, and eventually everything, are
prey, must
detritus of the machine that is consumdesigned to send back messages to the
ask who is
ing real love between people.
cloud and in turn drive smarter analytmade smarter
relationships have become a key curics. In sharing this data openly, we are
and who will
rency for all these new technologies -
promised new efficiencies of scale and
the fuel that makes them run: relaa revolution of data-driven innovation.
ultimately be
tionships between people and things,
Predictive analytics, machine learnempowered by
between people and their environment,
ing, and big data [17] will allegedly
these so-called
but especially between people and each
give us greater insights than ever before
intelligent
other. Social science researchers look at
on how we can maximize our limited
the complex taxonomy of online social
resources. we are promised a fairer dissystems.
networks and shout "hooray," believing
tribution of energy, better emergency
that these relationships herald a new era of connectedwarning systems, a reduction in criminal activity,
ness [10]. Marketers also shout for joy with dollar signs
and the power of crowdsourcing to lead us to a better,
in their eyes. witness the recent changes at Google and
safer, and more informed world.
Facebook for a case in point "now we can connect phowhat is wrong with this model of advancing
tos with product endorsements" [11]. Unless we can
our potential humanity? we seem to want not only
count people, unless we can number and track them,
to quantify the planet, our countries, our cities,
not only can we not hunt and track them, but we can't
our neighbourhoods, but even - and perhaps espemonetize them. So-called "smart" technologies and
cially - ourselves! But these are also, as readers
ubiquitous sensors make this easier than ever before.
of Gilles Deleuze have recognized, technologies
The changes that have taken place in the 14 years
of control [18].
since the Auto-ID Center and CASPIAN were founded
we now return to the humble frequent shopper
represent a profound shift. rather than shy away from
card, which, along with the credit card, was the earthe dehumanizing aspect of numbering and tracking
liest form of a numbering system designed primarily
people, instead of opposing it with boycotts and legfor the monetization of the individual [19]. we claim
islation, we the "watched," the information prey, have
here that not too many have ever profited from such
welcomed this technological invasion into our midst
a scheme, save for the retail companies who issue
like a Trojan horse, bringing surveillance tools into
them [20]. Again, like a Trojan horse, however, these
the very inmost private centers of our lives.
devices have found their way into the wallets and
This should not surprise us. The agenda has been
onto the keychains of a majority of consumers in the
set by big companies like IBM, which has been referU.S. and across the industrialized world. Adoption
ring to a "smart planet" since 2008 [12], [13]. Plans
rates of frequent shopper cards stand at nearly 90%
around this smarter planet were already well underof U.S. and U.K. households that have enrolled in at
way as far back as 2001, when IBM received a patent
least one, whereas adoption in Australia of the Flyfor the "Person Tracking Unit" (#20020165758 IdentiBuys scheme in 2009 was more circumspect with one
fication and Tracking of Persons Using rFID-tagged
in four adults registered into the scheme [21]. Howitems) [14], and laid the groundwork for visual surever, consumers do not knowingly volunteer their
veillance through its People Vision research project,
personal shopping information to big business and
now renamed IBM Smart Surveillance System [15].
government; they do so unawares [22]. By the time
where this truly becomes interesting (or alarmpeople realize these tools cut both ways, they have
ing, depending on your world view) is in plans to
already become entrenched, accepted and (*yawn*)
32

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Winter 2013