In time, high-tech snooping and databanking could make earlier-generation activities seem naively old-fashioned, as innocent as child’s play. When that occurs, our failure to legislate controls over surveillance equipment as they evolved – already a problem today – could overwhelm us, as could our failure to prescribe adequate civil and criminal penalties for abuses of individual privacy committed by government agencies and U.S. corporations.
Predictor: Rothfeder, Jeffrey
Prediction, in context:In his 1992 book “Privacy for Sale,” Jeffrey Rothfeder writes: ”Technology has become uncontrollable, a rampaging flood, carving its own course. Breakthroughs in computers, communications, electronic networks, and databanks relentlessly sweep away previous discoveries. Meanwhile, there’s inexcusably little serious thought given to the implications of these advances for individuals or society … There are numerous examples of new technologically based invasions of privacy occuring virtually every day. Some are small and barely noticed, but are jarring nevertheless … In time, high-tech snooping and databanking could make earlier-generation activities seem naively old-fashioned, as innocent as child’s play. When that occurs, our failure to legislate controls over surveillance equipment as they evolved – already a problem today – could overwhelm us, as could our failure to prescribe adequate civil and criminal penalties for abuses of individual privacy committed by government agencies and U.S. corporations.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1992
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Privacy/Surveillance
Name of publication: Privacy For Sale
Title, headline, chapter name: Shadow Of Technology
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 204
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Kildale, Tiffany Ann