Monday - November 22, 2004

Will Humans Catch Computer Viruses?

It might sound like a silly question, but if the futuristic idea (and ideal) of linking man and machine comes to fruition, it might become a real concern. Do you think cyborgs are only fodder for sci-fi stories? Think again: a professor of cybernetics in England has, according to ZDNet, wired his nervous system to a computer and implanted himself with an RFID chip. In fact, he says that someday the majority of people will be borged and those who aren’t will be considered a “subspecies.”

Sure, one can enumerate the advantages that would come with having a direct interface between brain, body and machine. It would be neat to be able to tap into a huge database instantly, at the speed of thought. And it would be nice to have enough memory so you never again have to spend an hour backtracking your steps to determine what you did with your car keys.

But in order to fully take advantage of computer enhancement, the “human computer” would need to be networked - and we know the risks networking presents for regular old machines. Imagine someone uploading a virus to your brain, or hacking into your darkest fantasies. Such a thing is probably a long way off, but it’s what some scientists are working toward. If we think we have privacy issues now, just wait until we all have the ultimate connection, all of the time.

On the other hand, there are many who think such research should be banned. But what about the positive applications of the same technology? Implanted chips could someday allow the blind to see and those with spinal injuries to walk again. Should we restrain researchers in the cybernetics field out of fear about some of the uses of the technology? And if, for example, the U.S. banned such research, would that allow other countries to create far superior human beings that would someday be this country’s downfall?

Development of technology that integrates biology with computers seems to be inevitable. The U.S. FDA has approved the use of RFID chips in humans for better access to information about hospital patients. The Italian Ministry of Health recently completed a six month trial of the technology. Several officials in Mexico have had chips implanted as protection against kidnapping. Some nightclubs in Spain allow customers to pay for drinks via an implanted chip.

Are we moving inexorably toward the day when we not only can but must have a chip implanted at birth, which will be used to store our medical histories, credit histories, purchasing habits and everything else of importance about us? Will that information be accessible to government agencies, companies with which we do business, and talented hackers? Is such a universal ID system the solution to protecting against terrorists and other criminals? Will those who aren’t “chipped” not only be considered “odd,” but in violation of the law?

What do you think? Does the potential good of the technology outweigh the huge potential for abuse? Are you looking forward to becoming a ‘borg? Is resistance futile? Would you have your children chipped to protect them against getting lost or kidnapped? How about your pet (millions already have)? We’ve visited this question before, but new developments make it more relevant than ever. Has your mind changed as this technology has become more common in practice? Let us know what you think. Sound off ....

Posted by The Skipper     on 11/22/2004 at 01:58 PM   
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