[LINK] Surveillance in extremis

[Jan Whitaker]

At 12:30 PM 28/08/2006, Geoff Ramadan wrote:
>I am curious to know if you or anyone else would have the same concerns if 
>they had stuck a simple "barcode" on the bin with a unique number?

Probably I would have concerns. But it depends on what they do with the 
information and why they are collecting it. They must comply with privacy 
acts and inform people that this information is being collected and why, 
for one thing. And I haven't read all my email yet to see if anyone could 
explain if services would be denied if someone other than the household to 
whom the bin had been assigned put 'bad' stuff in the bin.

These types of systems need to have controls around them so that people 
aren't denied services for things that happen beyond their control. If the 
point is to monitor the recycling services that are contracted to provide 
those services, that is one thing. But if they are used to play big 
brother, or bin brother as they have been dubbed in Ireland, then they are 
despicable.


Jan Whitaker
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
personal: http://www.janwhitaker.com/personal/
commentary: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/

'Seed planting is often the most important step. Without the seed, there is 
no plant.' - JW, April 2005
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