Friday, December 28, 2007
From cell phones to Santa and pesky privacy concerns
The Associated Press reports that the year 2007 is likely to be the year that U.S. households spend more on cell phone services than on what has come to be called “land lines” the traditional fixed home phone service.
In the last year for which there is data government reports have households spending, on average, $524 on cell phone bills and $542 for residential and pay-phone services. Those figures are for 2006. Telecom industry observers feel that cell bills have moved passed home phones.
I can testify to that. If my three-member household can be of example, my wife, daughter and I use our cell phones far more often than the land line. The monthly bills serve as testament to that. Our cell bill is often two to three times that of our land line.
And once we switch to high speed internet and shut down our computer modem, we just might give up the land line all together. This is a trend being followed by many households. The only thing that might stall this movement will be the reluctance of some to cut the cord—to give up the security the land line has always represented.
How about something more holiday related?
I’ve often harped on how technology has been both a blessing and a curse. The curse is best represented in the loss of privacy we are experiencing as a society. The Internet has made it possible to all manner of institutions in our society to track and store information on our daily lives. It might be the government or a credit reporting agency. The volume of data is staggering.
But what about the jolly old elf himself? The British Website, The Register (www.theregister.co.uk) points out that Santa seems to be breaking a number of privacy laws in his efforts to track the behavior of children around the world. First of all, data on children under 13 is not supposed to be kept by a Website. What makes Santa different?
What happens to all those letters to Santa with their lists of toy requests? How long is that highly valuable data kept by St. Nick? Is it destroyed after December 25? I’m sure there are numerous toy manufacturers dying to get their hands on that information. By cross referencing the requested with the addresses of the households, they can target advertising to the little tikes.
Then there is the question of countless B&Es that occur around the world on Christmas Eve. I know he has never been caught but the circumstantial evidence is spread everywhere.
And, what about the copyright infringements? He reportedly has legions of elves making toys in factories at the North Pole producing all manner of toys. Are we sure these are all elves? No. I won’t go there.
When the Mid-Shore Computer Users Group met recently for the group’s December meeting, instead of exchanging gifts they exchanged gift ideas or interesting Websites.
Some sites noted included:
http://www.boingboing.net/
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/
http://www.ldproducts.com/
http://aldaily.com/
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java
http://www.tcfl.org/
http://baybridge.com/
They range from clever stuff, to the local library to the latest information on traffic conditions on the bay bridge. Give them a look.
Have a safe and happy holiday season.
You can reach me at rpolk@chespub.com.
In the last year for which there is data government reports have households spending, on average, $524 on cell phone bills and $542 for residential and pay-phone services. Those figures are for 2006. Telecom industry observers feel that cell bills have moved passed home phones.
I can testify to that. If my three-member household can be of example, my wife, daughter and I use our cell phones far more often than the land line. The monthly bills serve as testament to that. Our cell bill is often two to three times that of our land line.
And once we switch to high speed internet and shut down our computer modem, we just might give up the land line all together. This is a trend being followed by many households. The only thing that might stall this movement will be the reluctance of some to cut the cord—to give up the security the land line has always represented.
How about something more holiday related?
I’ve often harped on how technology has been both a blessing and a curse. The curse is best represented in the loss of privacy we are experiencing as a society. The Internet has made it possible to all manner of institutions in our society to track and store information on our daily lives. It might be the government or a credit reporting agency. The volume of data is staggering.
But what about the jolly old elf himself? The British Website, The Register (www.theregister.co.uk) points out that Santa seems to be breaking a number of privacy laws in his efforts to track the behavior of children around the world. First of all, data on children under 13 is not supposed to be kept by a Website. What makes Santa different?
What happens to all those letters to Santa with their lists of toy requests? How long is that highly valuable data kept by St. Nick? Is it destroyed after December 25? I’m sure there are numerous toy manufacturers dying to get their hands on that information. By cross referencing the requested with the addresses of the households, they can target advertising to the little tikes.
Then there is the question of countless B&Es that occur around the world on Christmas Eve. I know he has never been caught but the circumstantial evidence is spread everywhere.
And, what about the copyright infringements? He reportedly has legions of elves making toys in factories at the North Pole producing all manner of toys. Are we sure these are all elves? No. I won’t go there.
When the Mid-Shore Computer Users Group met recently for the group’s December meeting, instead of exchanging gifts they exchanged gift ideas or interesting Websites.
Some sites noted included:
http://www.boingboing.net/
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/
http://www.ldproducts.com/
http://aldaily.com/
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java
http://www.tcfl.org/
http://baybridge.com/
They range from clever stuff, to the local library to the latest information on traffic conditions on the bay bridge. Give them a look.
Have a safe and happy holiday season.
You can reach me at rpolk@chespub.com.
# posted by Richard Polk @ 5:02 AM 
