Be Nice in Cyber Space
Due to a no show, Barbara Young introduced a surprise speaker –Rotarian Tom Keenan who is an expert on what is happening in the cyber space world and is a renowned University of Calgary Professor, Speaker, Science/tech Writer, Futurist and Author. Wow!
In his book “Techno Creep: The Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy” (a must read for all Rotarians), Tom explains, through numerous examples, the way “technology is rapidly moving into our bodies and invading our privacy. His talk, based on his book, gives a chilling look ahead into how that road may lead us on a one way trip to the total surrender of privacy and the commoditization of intimacy. He explained in detail the definitive dissection of privacy-eroding and life-invading technologies that are coming at us from governments, corporations, and maybe even the person next door.
Tom noted that there are a lot of creepy people in the world who are looking to take advantage of good people. One example is a local wine shop where their data was held hostage by a virtual terrorist who demanded money or he would erase all their business records. The wine shop paid what amounted to a ransom to regain control of their data. Tom told us the story of the Sears wall oven that has pursued him for years. Years ago he went on line at Sears and looked at a wall oven. He decided not to purchase it but he left a cyber trail. The Sears wall oven keeps popping up on his computer asking him if he is ready to purchase it. How creepy to be nagged by an oven.
He had another creepy story about the wrist bands at Disney and how they track your every movement once you enter the grounds. The purpose of your activated wrist band is to encourage your family to spend, spend, and spend. He pointed out that the Nike Fuel Band, designed to track your physical activity, knows when you have sex which gives a whole new meaning to invasion of privacy. The moral of Tom’s very entertaining and enlighten talk is “Be Nice in Cyber Space” and be on guard for Techno Creep. Mark Starratt thanked Tom for his willingness to speak on a moment’s notice and his ability to communicate important knowledge in a memorable manner.
