Wil's Web2 article on internet data-harvesting reminded me of a Guardian story reported on TV today about the staggering amount of information collected from a thrown-away scrap of card. All this as part of the war on terrorism. But how about the war on crime? Isn't ID theft a far, far bigger risk to an individual than being in the same aircraft as someone who just might be a terrorist? A terrorist so poorly organised that he hasn't stolen an innocent citizen's identity to travel on?
Read "Dangerous Data" by Lury.Gibson. Although a work of fiction, the technology described in it is real. And you thought your Nectar card was all about bonus points...
Well to be honest, you'd be an idiot if you did. Companies don't roll out schemes that cost millions to set up the infrastructure for just to make things a little more enticing for the customer, they can do that with lower prices, bigger stores, more BOGOF's etc. It's obvious for anyone who cares to think about it that store club cards are a trade, you give them your details, regular shopping habits, and the ability to send you information and advertising based on those habits, and in turn they give you certain reductions in price or maybe free flights for every £10k you spend or whatever.
