Thursday 29 September 2011

stempeluhr or casey jones

Much more frightening than facial recognition capabilities arising in social media networks that could tag one's likeness in that parallel, virtual universe, or even that it could project how one might look aged in the real world, or even cross over tagging in the very real world of omnipresent surveillance cameras--even scarier than the gimmicky, pervy scanners used at US airports and sporting arenas, offered as an alternative to an invasive pat-down (though a really sorry trade-off)--scariest yet are the biometric punch clocks that factories, fast-food restaurants and distribution centers are installing in the States to further terrorize and torment low-wage workers.  The above listed insults are bad enough in themselves, and probably have gone far to inure the public's attitude towards pervasive biometric systems.  Comfortable when they've managed to deflect affronts by their societal-outlets or the airports waive them through security, the average person does not think about having his or her minutes and productive clocked, having indelibly announced their arrival, departure and breaks (not to mention everything in between) by having their face photographed or fingerprint taken.  Of course, those workers do not get much of an opportunity to complain about this psychologically toxic control over their schedules, making tardiness inexcusable and any other excuse moot.  With labour unions defanged, hopefully there are still advocates for the working poor who would have businesses explore the ethical and human-impact of adopting such technology beforehand--pause to compare the costs of such a system (though like the x-ray scanners and electronic voting machines they are probably not very effectual) versus being a decent and motivating supervisor, since with high and enduring unemployment, each worker is expendable and there are thousands eager to advance from the ranks of the unemployed into his or her spot, whether or not they suffer such humilation, until or unless the workers revolt or are replaced by machines.