Google Glass: Preparing for a 'Cyborg-Surveillance
Society' (JoongAngIlbo,
South Korea)
"There are as many opponents and critics as admirers. ... The
emergence of these magical glasses and watches can bring new life to some. They
can be the seeds for new industries. At the same time, however, they can
violate peoples' privacy and enable crimes in entirely new ways. The ongoing
debate over Google Glass in the United States should be a lesson for Korea. We
need to prepare a system and standards for the future. The cyborg
surveillance society is fast approaching."
When
a new technology is introduced, it isn't unusual to feel curious and even a little
afraid. The history of media is a good example. When print technology was
introduced, some argued metal type was satanic and undermined the sanctity of
handwriting. In the early days of television, people feared video images would
destroy high culture. The same goes for the Internet. Critics were concerned
that unverified information would spread suspicion throughout society. As civilization
addressed these concerns, these forms of media became widely accepted.
Recently,
Google Glass has been a controversial invention, garnering both curiosity and
concern. It is a wearable smart device that can perform online searches, make phone
calls and record video via audio command.
Like
the mask of Iron Man in the Hollywood
blockbuster, users can bring up a transparent screen by saying, “OK, Glass,”
and then giving a command to search or record a video. Dr. Im
Dong-jin of Hanyang
University says that the essence of this device is secrecy and ingenuity.
Google distributed 1,000 prototypes to users in May, and feedback from these
trials have already sparked plenty of debate.
Thanks
to Google Glass, a 26-year-old disabled woman without the use of her legs or
arms due to a traffic accident is able to communicate with the world again, make
phone calls, and connect to the Internet. Naturally, she praises the new
invention.
Firefighters
and emergency service workers also love the idea of being able to immediately
send images and video of injured people at accident scenes to headquarters.
Game
developers have focused on virtual reality games for Google Glass. The adult
video industry has welcomed the device, which can present life-like images to
users. As a matter of fact, an adult application for Google Glass is already
available.
However,
there are as many opponents and critics as admirers. A documentary video
producer used Google Glass to capture a video of someone being arrested by police
during a fight on the street. When he posted the video, it sparked controversy
about possible privacy violations. Google Glass closely monitors eye movement,
and can respond to delicate glances. Google Glass users can be likened to
mobile surveillance cameras.
Google
Glass can also be used for committing crimes. What if a Google Glass user
stares at passersby, then searches the Internet to find their identities and
addresses? Even if not used for crime, it is very odd to think that someone
nearby could be quietly peeking into your private life. Because of such
concerns, Starbucks locations in some areas of the United States have banned
Google Glass.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Before
the emergence of modern science and technology, the only means of tracking
people was with other people. Recorders, cameras, and closed-circuit cameras
have replaced the human eye, and Google Glass is just the latest turn of the
spiral. One thing is for sure: once intelligent surveillance devices are
attached to human bodies, the result is a cyborg.
People
want these devices as close to the body as possible. Long-range communications have
transformed from smoke signals to public phones to mobile devices. Now the
desire to improve communications technology has led to Google Glass. Samsung,
LG and Sony are developing smart watches. Soon enough, we'll see computers on
earrings and chips implanted in the human body. In this era of knowledge-convergence,
as the technological hurdles drop, a rush of new products is likely to
continue.
The
emergence of these magical glasses and watches can bring new life to some. They
can be the seeds for new industries. At the same time, however, they can
violate peoples' privacy and enable crimes in entirely new ways. The ongoing
debate over Google Glass in the United States should be a lesson for Korea. We
need to prepare a system and standards for the future. The cyborg
surveillance society is fast approaching.
*Lee Gyu-yeon author is JoongAngIlbo editorial writer.
