Are we headed back to "1984"?

By Rick Castellini, MCP Nationally syndicated computer consultant Special to PRIME Some books we read stick with us forever, either because they were a fantastic read or because they carried a message that gets ingrained so deep it isn't easily forgotten. For me, one of those books was George Orwell's 1984. I first read the book in the late 70's or early 80's. At the time, I'd never seen or heard of a computer, and video cameras were extremely rare as well. Recently however, as I see technology developing, the book's main plot lack of privacy has come back to me. Are we too connected? Those of you who read my articles every month know that I am a huge fan of technology. My livelihood depends on technology. I do want to point out before finishing my article that I am not, however, a conspiracy theorist. Never have been a conspiracy guy and don't plan on becoming one. My disclaimer aside, I do fear that technology is leading us down a path that decreases our privacy substantially. For example, cell phones make us reachable almost anywhere (unless you turn it off), email and the Internet give us instant communication as well. This kind of communication has undoubtedly led to huge increases in productivity, but it also has decreased the amount of private time that we have. Time was, when we walked away from our offices or homes, those were times where we were alone with only our thoughts. Now we have to make a conscious effort to leave these communication devices behind or at least shut them off to keep that private time. It is refreshing to see that people are not answering their cell phones as readily as they once did ... instead allowing the caller to leave a voice mail. Smile, you're on ... Cell phones and email make wonderful tools when used responsibly, but the video and picture age of technology makes me a little more nervous. I once read a statistic that if you live in a larger metropolitan city, your picture is taken at least 12 times per day (I searched in vain for this article, but couldn't find it again). Where are all these photos being taken, you ask? At banks, convenience stores, street corners, parks, office buildings, museums, schools, parking garages, grocery stores, gas stations, ATM's and more they all use "security" technology to record events. Increasingly, your picture potentially appears on photos and video taken by camera phones, web cams (small cameras connected to the Internet often by individuals) and other digital cameras. You might not be the target of the camera, but your mug is there nonetheless. And 'Big Brother" is watching Just last week, government officials in Texas stated that they would use web cam technology to monitor a portion of their borders with Mexico. And across the country, neighborhood watch programs are evolving from simply being aware of your surroundings to watching your neighbors via a web cam 24-hours a day. I don't know about you, but that creeps me out a little. New York City installed web cams on street light poles last year to help cut down on crime in high crime areas. Almost daily, I hear and read about programs such as those I listed. Technology is great, but I fear that our complacency about how technology is used could come back to haunt us. My philosophy has always been that if you keep your nose clean, you shouldn't worry. I still believe in that philosophy, but I also don't like the idea of every move I make being documented. We can't necessarily stand in the way of progress, but I believe that we all need to question how technology is being implemented and voice our opinions if we think that technology is getting a little too intrusive. We can do this by simply making each other aware of what is happening and also informing our elected officials when we see or hear about something that makes us question the motives of certain policies. No need to panic ... just be cautious and inquisitive. Rick Castellini hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, is an author and computer consultant in Colorado. Visit his web site at HelpMeRick.com for practical tips and computer information every week.