munroburton wrote:mark wrote:
Don't be too optimistic about limiting the amount of data.
The real issue is that all they need is a unique handle. With that it is possible (given a high enough density of detectors, of course, in time and/or location) to track you well enough to get a rough location for your home, work and any other regular activity. These days it's quite doable to cross-link that with other public information (think facebook, linked-in, any publicly accessible register) and you're pretty much identified.
Yup. What do you think the big switchover to IPv6 was about?
Number of addresses
IPv4(xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx): 4,294,967,296
IPv6(xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx): 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456
IPv6 has enough addresses to give one to each atom on Earth and hence any amount of individual devices the human race is going to produce. Your smartphone is only the start - we're going to see cookers, fridges, heating systems, etc. get their own address, ostensibly so your smartphone can connect to them remotely and give instructions. Most people think it's a good idea being able to check your fridge stock before leaving work, so you can shop on the way home. Or turn the oven on, so it's preheated and ready to cook the minute you step through the door.
However, it also gives any government the opportunity to monitor everything constantly. Forget waiting 10 years for census results - just look up real-time numbers. Great if you can trust your government not to be exploitative or allow corporations to be.
Hmm IPv6 with six groups of 3 numbers gives 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 address or 666 the mark of the beast, Maybe ol' John's Revelation the last book of the New Testament ain't so crazy after all?
Poker
and, Mangy Fur the Smart Alick Spacecat.