Big Brother, on the march, pass me a $50, will ya?
- Details
- Created: Saturday, 02 October 2004 05:06
- Written by JoSeppi
Well, it ain't the new $50.00, its the "anti-counterfitting" stuff, where Government and Industry have co-operated to make common computer equipment less able to scan or copy the new bills.
(See 'New 50 Story')
So what, you say? Indeed, you should. It is a bit nuts, to think that this has anything to do with "Big Brother", now, ain't it?
But, it is precisely these small steps, the "co-operation" between Government and Industry which make "improvements" in common consumer goods, that should raise our concerns. These improvements often take the shape of new integrated circuits ("chips") such as the "V" chip, which purport to allow parental control over what our little darlings may watch on the TV.
That watershed event has gone almost universally uncommented upon.
Today, we have a V-Chip in about every TV and certainly every new one, including the new HD-TV that soon, everyone will want to have. Now we have chips in other common consumer goods that have been added due to Government and Industry "co-operation".
So, who monitors what is actually in this "V-Chip" and these other chips, and what their capabilities are?
Who is to say these chips will not be "upgraded" or "improved", to allow "Two way" or "Interactive" use? This can happen, under the guise of "improved 911 services", "anti-terrorism", etc.
Well hell, we don't have to get that paranoid, now do we? No, we don't. Go back to sleep. Can't? Well, then, go watch some TV, improve your mind, why don't ya?