2412 Oh Well

In the good old days, George Orwell wrote a futuristic book called 1984 that predicted technologies that could spy on you.  Privacy would become a thing of the past, as Big Brother would be watching us to maintain peace and security for all.

Smart as Orwell was, he never predicted the rise of Facebook, nor the tendency of folks to hand over their privacy in return for free apps.

Nor did he see freely embraced things like Samsung's new TV, that when its voice activation function is activated, can eavesdrop on your household conversations.  I'm betting if you get "gesture activation" from other companies, they can see into your living room too.

Mr. Orwell predicted Big Brother's takeover because of our desire for security.  He never foresaw it'd be because we're too lazy to get up off the couch or press a remote control button.  Heck, just wave at the TV, so what if Apple-Sony-Microsoft-Samsung-Comcast sees what chips we're snarfing down on the couch.

That's just privacy invasion from private industry, when I heard the new government plans to create a DNA database I was even more alarmed. 

The Obama administration announced the government would fund a project to collect and store the genetic profiles of one million willing Americans.  In addition, I assume, to the presently incarcerated unwilling 2.2 million. 

Ostensibly, this database will help healthcare providers and scientists to prevent disease and such like.  Then again, anything that can be collected and stored on a computer can be hacked.  So I hope the administration's other initiative, to create a robust cyber-security department, goes forward first.

Peeping into my living room or data-mining my smartphone's bad enough.  But possibly hacking my DNA to sell to third-parties?

Oh well George, that's the price of health and security...

America, ya gotta love it.