Barcodes
 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2012...ryone-at-birth

I was only having a bad dream, yes?

LOL I can imagine someone who would be having a heart attack on first sight of that :DL

On first SIGHT? Just needing to listen to that infantile naivety of that author gave me the creeps.

It's okay. I keep my defibrilators handy at all times.

:o

I really love this naive outlook on technology some people living in their ivory towers have. :damn:

Tatooed codes for item-identification. Where have I heared that before - some history film or so....

Hmmm....:up:

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/phot...30-462-321.jpg

I can't open that link, because that part of the BBC isn't funded by my license fee!!! :damn:

Anyhoo, I get the gist of it and it immediately reminded me of Mike Leigh's Naked. A very dark and dismal, brilliant film. I've just found the scene on YouTube but won't link it because of excessive bad language, but a simple search for the title (above) + the future should lead you to 4.51 of what I think was the best film of 1993.

Revelations 13:16-17 "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, And that no man might buy or sell, except he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

A film called 'Idiocracy'.

This week science fiction writer Elizabeth Moon argues that everyone should be given a barcode at birth.
“If I were empress of the Universe I would insist on every individual having a unique ID permanently attached - a barcode if you will; an implanted chip to provide an easy, fast inexpensive way to identify individuals.
It would be imprinted on everyone at birth. Point the scanner at someone and there it is.
Having such a unique barcode would have many advantages. In war soldiers could easily differentiate legitimate targets in a population from non combatants.
This could prevent mistakes in identity, mistakes that result in the deaths of innocent bystanders. Weapons systems would record the code of the use, identifying how fired which shot and leading to more accountability in the field.
Anonymity would be impossible as would mistaken identity making it easier to place responsibility accurately, not only in war but also in non-combat situations far from the war.”

I can see it happening in this paranoia-security climate, it would probably be marketted as the next stage in shopping, like Japan currently has with mobile phones. No need to take a wallet or a card, just point your hand at the scanner and it automatically deducts the amount from your bank!
No need for keys! Just touch your hand against your house door/car door/locker door and blam, open it goes!

Little mention that you can be tracked and catalogued by the authorities, just happy little sheep enjoying their circuses. :hmmm:

I'd like to hear the context in which this was written. It appears a bit tongue-in-cheek. "If I were Empress of the Universe"?

If she is truly a published SF author, I have to believe she knew exactly what she was saying.

A luxury I am not giving up

Open the blackmarket to identity alteration so you can be whoever you want with a quick replacement of your chip's data.