There are 3 choices, 3 votes for Energizer Bunny's debate

Technology and Terrorism: Are we being too naive?

Google Earth
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There is an old truism - we can not stop progress. The truism has been used to justify investments in technologies that could potentially not only harm people but wipe out the entire planet. While we cannot stop the progress, we still should think carefully about the consequences of the technologies that we invent. Particularly because since September 11, 2001, we are all wondering when will the next terrorist attack occur.

In June 2007, we learned of yet another plot. This time, the target was the JFK international airport in New York. Luckily this attack was prevented and three out of the four terrorists are already in custody. But during the report, CNN revealed a curious fact - terrorists have used Google Earth to get access to aerial views of airport facilities. Obviously it would be ridiculous to argue that tools like Google Earth should not be built because terrorists might use them. Yet, after hearing this on CNN one cannot help but wonder: what other seemingly innocent software technologies are we building that can be used to harm us?

Clearly the technologies that we are developing can be used in a bad way by the "evil doers". But this is really nothing new, and as we said in the beginning of this post - technological progress is unstoppable. So why do we need to think about these things? Simply because it is always better to pause and think about the implications, than blindly rush through things. Just because something is cool does not mean that it is not dangerous. And beyond cool, we can be just a bit more careful. Does Google Earth need to have the White House address by default? Probably not. And it is not even that cool anyway.

Obviously this is a debatable topic, so please jump in with your comments on what web technologies you think are dangerous and how we should be thinking about information and terrorism as we are developing them.



  • Tricky Bicky
    This is an interesting topic, it reminds me of stuff I've been reading lately about Al Quaeda 2.0 and all the online site where Jihadists are recruited and terror attacks praised. Like your question about technology and terror, these websites raise questions about limit cases for free speech.

    I'm not too worried about Google earth and such things right now, but that's just because Iran are so busy trying to get their nuclear Holocaust idea together :-) ....... :-(

    Anyways, interesting topic as I said. I'll have a think about it and maybe get back to you with something more,

    TTFN,
    A. Hine
    Voted for by Alexander Hine.
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  • Small point
    I was under the impression that the White House, Pentagon, and many other important areas were blurred out on Google Earth due to security reasons.
    Voted for by Weydon.
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  • From a Biblical Perspective
    What are conditions prophesied to be evident in the end times?

    Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

    People do run to and fro over the whole planet and certainly knowledge has increased (and not to the apparent betterment of mankind), and the prophecies of Daniel are no longer "shut up"

    http://media.pcog.org/en/Literature/DAN_EN_0705.pdf

    And remember, it wasn't technology that brought down the WTC. It was a bunch of guys with about $12 worth of box cutters and a plan.

    It is the drinker, not the drink.
    It is the man with the gun, not the gun.
    It is the nut behind the wheel, not the car.
    It is not the missle, it is the man with the finger on the button.
    It is not the stock market, it is the greed of men.

    From the beginning of time it has been man and his lusts that have led him to create the implements that can be used to control men. Man will be on the brink of extinction before he realizes that it is the increase in "wrong" knowledge and the improper use of God-less technology that has brought him there. And as the Bible says,

    Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

    The Moffat translation says "no flesh saved alive."

    And these are Jesus' own words.

    As general MacArthur said, "Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveness of war now blocks out this alternative. We have had our last chance. If we will not devise some greater and more equitable system, our Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence, an improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past two thousand years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh."

    (Douglas MacArthur's Speech On April 19, 1951 To A Joint Session Of Congress After Truman Relieved Him Of Command In Korea)

    Men of vision can see where we are heading and why, and we are almost there.
    Voted for by mudgod.
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