New Panopticism

New panopticism has been functioning in our society and can be seen through all new and emerging technologies, starting with email monitoring, and the increasing prevalence of technologies that also monitor us. A recent news item that has been a popular topic and one that can be seen in direct relation to panopticism is the realization and the finding that apple has been tracking every move that people have been making since June and making it somewhat easily available to find. I don't think it should be a surprise to anyone that apple and the iphone has been doing this, because all cellphones track where you are and through pinging get your information, but those are supposedly sent to towers and information centers that are supposed to keep that information private. Although I feel that all people are tracked and that if the government wants to, they can find that information through laws within the Patriot Act and other more controlling legislation, I feel that apple could possibly be storing this information in hopes of shaping business models through downloadable applications in which our information is sold and given to companies that we buy into by our digital button pressing agreements, and without reading the 32+ page privacy policies apple and some other software makers have. I realize that many applications currently are made just to advertise and to further track you, because why would applications ask you if they can use your current location? I am scared for more information to come out about these monitoring technologies, but I realize that cellphone technology and the use of the internet could be partially invented and marketed to better keep tabs on and track much of society.

Apple has recently "fixed" their bug and in a recent statement said "Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone," the Apple said last month in its first response to privacy questions raised by the two researchers. "Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so." I don't really buy that this is true, because all apple would have had to say is that they are using the information in regards with their mobile me application which allows users to gps and track where there phone is if it is ever lost or stolen. In this regard they have to be tracking the location of your iphone and the fact that they are denying this makes me worrisome. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better and would make me less paranoid to live off the grid without use of technology, but I realize that this is nearly impossible in this day and age and would seem completely crazy to most.