PrePaid Cell Phones

PrePaid cell phones have gotten a lot of discussion in our class. There are both positive and negative aspects of them and about privacy issues. The majority of prepaid cell phone users use them to be anonymous and stay hidden. This is what we talked about in class that if someone wanted to or needed to stay hidden and untraceable this type of phone would come in handy, but that's where the downfall of them comes to play. No one wants criminals to avoid the government finding them and staying hidden, and who knows how many actually do this, but it's not something we really hear about so I don't think it's an issue (for now at least). There are also good reasons people use prepaid cell phones too. This type of phone is cheaper than buying a normal cell phone and easier than having to deal with companies and making a plan and all that and it's also a good starter phone for kids who get one for emergencies only. When I was in 8th grade my friends and I had all gotten our first cell phone except our one friend, so for her birthday we all pitched in and bought her one of the prepaid phones, it wasn't for her to not be tracked, it was so we can communicate. I don't think the government should be able to control prepaid phones and have them registered for them to be tracked, maybe in the future it will become an issue of criminals using them for bad, and they will decide to do this, but for now I don't think it is. And I also think this notion by the law will be coming soon because they are nosy and probably don't like the fact there some people they can't track.

Location Tracking

 I can understand vets using tracking devices for animals, but when it comes to using them for children now thats just absurd. You must be crazy to think it's even remotely ok to implant a tracking chip into a child. Children are not animals, they have the right to privacy even though they may not need it until they grow up a little bit and aren't dependent on the care of their parents, but still why would an infant be out of the sight of their guardian long enough to need to be tracked? If parents were good parents they would be intently watching their child and not let them leave their sight. As the child grows up it becomes an issue of not only privacy, but of trust. A parent should trust their kid (unless given a reason not to) that they can make their own choices and not be under constant surveillance 24/7 by the parents. It's also a learning experience to let the kid make their own mistakes and not have the parents be there and know where they are all the time. Let the kid grow up how they should and how they have been since the beginning of time, without tracking devices in them, especially now that cell phones can be tracked. Parents do not have a right to do this, even if they might think so. If there was a bill in Congress I would not support it. Yes, children do need lots of attention, but that comes with the job of parenting, why would a tracking chip be necessary if they were doing their job in the first place? I think it could cause parents to be lazier with their children and that would not be a positive at all. When talking about senior citizens who have Alzheimer's, I still think using location tracking is wrong, but it should be up to the individual and if they would like to have a device to track them. It may make them feel safer and more independent knowing someone is looking out for them and then by all means go for it.

Living in a Networked World

I'm taking CS408 Living in a Networked World this spring semester. I find it very interesting so far; it makes me think about the Internet in a new way and get to hear other people's point of view. I am learning a lot and glad I took this class.