Cell Phones and Privacy

       I do not know many people who have prepaid cell phones, but I understand a few of the reasons why prepaid phones might be the best option for some people. For instance, if a parent wants to get a younger child a cell phone, but fears that they will spend too much time on it, then prepaid phones are the way to go. Prepaid phones have limited minutes, so this will prevent the child from becoming too consumed in his/her phone. A prepaid phone is also beneficial to people who do not depend on their phones at all hours. Prepaid phones are also useful if one loses their regular cell phone, and needs a temporary replacement.

Although there are many legitimate reasons for prepaid cell phones, there are also some problems with this. Many criminals use it to avoid law enforcement agencies who cannot chase them. I feel that if there was a way to keep record of prepaid phone users, then we would not have this problem.

Overall I do not think that prepaid cell phones should be banned, but if they could be controlled by the law I feel that this would be less problematic.

Location Tracking

Veterinarians implant trackable computer chips into animals in order to trace them when they get lost. Some people believe we should do the same for children. I have mixed feelings about this issue. Yes, implanting computer chips would be beneficial in tracking both young children and the elderly, but it seems like this is too much. GPS shoes, or even a trackable bracelet would not seem as weird to me. Implanting a computer chip is too extreme. I do not think it is necessary to track your children at all hours of the day. However, in busy atmospheres, such as cities or amusement parks, I understand that having a tracking system would make a parent, primarily those with young children, feel more comfortable. A computer chip in sick senior citizens makes the most sense to me, especially if an old man or woman with alzheimer’s or any other illness lives on their own. 

In no case do I believe a chip is necessary for teenagers. At this age it is completely normal for teenagers to spread their wings, and start becoming more independent. Yes, there will be many times that teenagers make questionable decisions, but parents need to let them be, and try their best to trust their son or daughter. Children under the age of five and sick elderly people clearly are not functioning as well as a healthy teenager, so I see no reason teenagers would need it. 

I definitely do not think there should be a bill in Congress to require ID chips in children under the age of five. Yes there have been several unfortunate situations of missing children, but for the most part people have been getting along fine without tracking systems. 

Living in a Networked World: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Hi! My name is Alyssa Crane. I am in my sophomore year at the University of New Hampshire. I created this blog for my Computer Science class, Living in a Networked World: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. We are a few weeks into the semester, and I am enjoying this course. It has been pretty interesting because we study the impact of the Internet/technology from all angles. Prior to this class, I overlooked the downfalls of technology. This class has opened my eyes to many of the disadvantages. There has been a lot of reading for this class, so it is a lot of work. However, I do find it interesting and I enjoy the videos we have watched such as a Wikileaks documentary and Eric Whitacre: A Virtual Choir 2,000 voices strong. I look forward to the rest of the semester! =)