Our Speaker, Dr. Tom Keenan Author of Technocreep | | Madeleine King introduced our speaker, Professor Tom Keenan, member of our club and University of Calgary faculty member whose research focuses on the social implications of technology, privacy and security, cyber security and cyberwarfare, in addition to blockchain technology applications. His presentation Technocreep - Five Years Later, provided an update on the "wheels within wheels" that make technology seem creepy. The theme of his presentation was that in the five years that have passed since he spoke to the club on the release of his book Technocreep, technology has enabled more "creepiness" than he imagined possible. He began with the story of a security lapse in which people commonly leave their personal information behind in rental vehicles when they pair their cellphones to entertainment systems. This information is typically not deleted when a vehicle is returned, and is available to anyone who subsequently rents the vehicle. |
Dr. Keenan stated people who hack technological systems often employ highly innovative thinking. The key characteristics of a successful hack are, in fact, the key requirements for obtaining a US patent. Such hacks are - Non-obvious
- Useful (albeit in a devious way)
- New
- "Subject matter eligible".
Creepiness stems from the "wheels within wheels" of modern technology that result in most people being unable to understand what is happening within the technology. This lack of understanding extends to governments, with the result that laws and regulations are lagging in their ability to address current and emerging threats. He provided the following examples of "technocreepiness" in the real world. - RFID bracelets employed at Disney theme parks to track the wearer's movements and purchases.
- Connected toys (Ferby and Barbie) that collect information from the children who pay with them.
- Personal assistants such as the Amazon Echo with microphones that are always on.
- Facial recognition software that extends to profiling people based on facial characteristics.
In addition to the creepy aspects of connected technologies, several established professions, including vehicle drivers, geophysics, radiology, journalism, and possibly the law, are under threat from disruptive change. Perhaps the creepiest part of his presentation was a description of a program in China in which various offenses, such as jaywalking, affect a person's "social credit" score, which then result in restrictions on that person's privileges. We have also witnessed the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica in which personal data from a Facebook personality quiz was misused to manipulate US voters. Bob Ermter thanked the speaker for his presentation. At the conclusion, Tom Keenan was available to sign copies of Technocreep. He donated 50 per cent of the proceeds of books sold following the meeting to the club, which resulted $130 in proceeds to the club. Thanks very much for your donation! Anyone who would like to hear more of Tom Keenan's fascinating ideas about technology, privacy and security is invited to attend his one-day course through University of Calgary Continuing Education on March 16, 2019. The course fee is $75 and registration is now open. |
