THE BLACK BOX OF LITTLE SECRETS

I guess everyone knows that aircraft are fitted with data recorders (known as ‘black boxes’), but how would you fancy having one in your car? Well actually, if you drive a fairly new car, you probably have. It will be an event data recorder which captures and stores data in the event of an accident. It wasn’t designed for investigative purposes of course. It was designed to activate systems such as airbags, seat belt tensioners, fuel pump cut offs etc. and also to provide real time data for development engineers so they can improve their future designs. However, all this information can potentially be used in all sorts of other interesting ways. The latest technology (it’s called telematics) can access data live via GPS, in other words they can see what you’re doing while you’re doing it. This has now come to the attention of legislators in the EU who are drawing up plans to make the technology compulsory in all new cars.

I think you know where I am going with this.

Insurance companies are really keen on data recorders in cars. They say it will enable them to accurately apportion blame in the event of an accident, and also they can use the info to give discounts to careful drivers.  However, it will also enable them to find new reasons not to pay out claims – 46 mph in a 40 limit – tough luck old boy, we’re not going to pay, and of course they can also increase the premiums of drivers who don’t drive in the approved manner. No winners there then.

The police of course absolutely love the idea. Traffic enforcement could become completely automated. For example; if you exceed the speed limit or change lanes without indicating, the information is immediately transmitted by your car to the enforcement control centre, a fine is sent via email, your bank account is automatically debited and your licence endorsed all before you even get home! Isn’t that great?

You don’t need me to tell you that this has got big brother written all over it.

Perhaps you see only the positives from this. Perhaps you obey all the rules (however daft) all the time, never make mistakes and would never be at fault in an accident. Perhaps you would welcome the state correcting any wrong thinking which might lead to an accident or inconvenience others.

Think about this then. Do you want the state knowing every detail of every journey you make? Do you trust the authorities (whoever they may be) with all this information? Who will have access to it? (Apart from insurance clerks, police employees, data centre operatives, garage mechanics, civil servants etc.) When will they access it? (After an accident? When someone asks for it? Whenever they want?) 

So, should you be worried? Yes you should.

Whatever assurances are given, you can be sure that the data will end up being used in ways you could never imagine. There are countless instances of supposedly confidential information being given to people who should not have it.

Information is power, (to slightly misquote Francis Bacon.) We should be very wary of who we give it to.

You can sum this up with one word – Control.

Control that is of the majority by a small minority of people who know what’s best. That’s called Communism and it doesn’t work all that well. It makes people lie down under tanks.