Social Sight or Short-sighted?

Facebook's Meta and Ray Ban have collaborated to make Smart Sunglasses!?

Yes, it sounds like something from a James Bond movie, but science fiction often predicts science fact and it looks like the Ray-Ban frames might become the first 'Smart Glasses' to be widely used by the social media generation. With integrated audio, camera and wireless syncing, the Security implications are worth exploring.

It's true that cameras are already everywhere! Here in the UK there are an estimated 62 cameras for every 1,000 people. 'Big Brother is Watching' has been a common theme of dystopian philosophy since the seismic novel 1984 by Orwell, and the UK is presently one of the most surveilled nations in the world, coming in at third place behind China and USA. And even that pales into insignificance when compared with the number of mobile phone cameras carried in the pockets of the public.

Is there a harm in more cameras then?

With technology like Camera loaded Sunglasses there becomes the very real possibility that wearers can record direct face to face conversations and directly upload then on to the internet without the other person's consent or knowledge.This may flare up a potent sense of privacy in some readers. Could there be instances where employees wear them into the office only to give away key details on colleagues screens to anyone willing to look. Or could there be times that someone wears them into the changing-rooms and exposes those inside to a breach of their personal privacy.

Not to mention that almost any IT item of this kind could eventually become a target for #databandits trying to see whatever you see, whether you wish to broadcast your views or not. As seen specifically in the recent case of Mr. Keen in Australia; accused of making and distributing software allowing #databandits to see through the webcams of infected machines. Those who purchased hoped to see without being seen into rooms and places, uninvited. Consider for a moment the sometimes risky permissions given to apps on mobile phones for use of the camera, imagine the shock to discover it had secretly being recording you, your room, your actions and your words.

The sunglasses possess a battery life of three hours and are capable of 500 photos synced or 30 minutes of video recording.

Yet like all technology, there are entries on both sides of the pro's and con's list. A tool is only as pure as its user, after all.

Recorded media holds a power to influence an observer long after its initial recording. If you don't agree pause to consider that The Bible is a recorded media device which still has profound effects upon the world to this day. The power which recorded media impresses upon its observers can be aggregated over time to cause general shifts in public perception, either naturally or by design. This is a socio-political tool that has been used to great effect to cause mass changes in social structures since long before digital media, but its most modern incarnation is hidden within the viral power of TikTok. Under the sugar-coating lurks some of the most tantalising methods discovered to ensnare the minds of the unprepared. Short snappy videos, high colour contrasts, suggestive dances and powerfully catchy music can find you humming along to the latest meme jingle without even noticing. The method of scrolling from video to auto-playing video means there is never a natural cessation in the rhythm of content flowing into your brain, and causes addictive behavioural patterns in the users who can't find the proverbial exit. Discover the live streams and you'll probably see a some combination of bingo playing, scratch-card scratching and making goody bags of sweets or gems, truly like a digital carnival. By adding promiscuity into the flashing and gambling it becomes a very captivating offer for the youth of society who may not yet have had the chance to develop any mental resilience to digital vices.

On the other hand, there are some that suggest having the ability to record moments of unique value at short notice may well be a blessing saving you, or the future you long for, from harm in a world where individual freedoms and collective restrictions vie for supremacy. Clearly proven by the spread of short videos of often less than a few minutes in length, but which have triggered large scale political protests over the last few years.?And, who knows when the next social media moment will occur that spins civilisation into unexpected directions? Perhaps you will be there to record it.

But aren't there more moments in life when your own sunglasses have gotten steamed up without the need to share exactly what you're looking at with anyone else? User discretion is advised...

ABSTRACT:

If there is a correlation between the number of viewers of a form of media; such as book, song, image, symbol, webpage or meme then it stands to reason that the more viewers, the greater the change. The most powerful place to be then, is in the seat which decides which media is consumed and by whom. Those residents of The Ministry of Truth from the aforementioned novel or the decision-makers at large media companies such as Meta's Facebook, Linkedin, TikTok or Twitter therefore have more control over public perceptions than perhaps any of us would like to admit.

The phrase, "The medium is the message" is a reminder to review the manner in which communication reaches us, rather than just its content. The content of the medium is a message that can be easily grasped and the character of the medium is another message which can be easily overlooked. Therefore, paying close attention to the manner in which we interact with everything from our #MobileSecurity to the #apps we download is a must. Even the consumption of media we find on LinkedIn should be treated with care.

The general trend seems pointed at ever-more human-to-tech integration, ever faster computers, and an ever-expanding internets of data. Adding more methods of digitising life is, in this author's view, probably not the most appealing of the directions that we are pointed towards as a society but as our reliance upon technologies increases so should the core morality of humans become a lighthouse beacon in a digital storm.

The motto #HumansBeforeTechnology inspires RS22, and all our staff, to operate as Humans restoring Humanity first, then restoring Technology second.

If you want Humans to help you master the Technologies of Cyber & IT Security, we would be honoured to work with you.