Archive link in case anyone hits a paywall.
This article is from September, but it is good, and in light of other recent efforts by the Indian government at mass surveillance of their population, I think it is worth a read.
A system like Aadhaar is a great way for governments to sneak in a platform of surveillance and control under the guise of welfare and could serve as a model for other governments seeking to supercharge their own surveillance efforts.
I feel like Modi has been in power for like a decade at this point. I only casually follow Indian politics. Why is bjp still in power?
So infuriating.
Technology is, rightfully, seen as a tool of control.
It should be a tool for emancipation, gaining and increasing agency. It’s been “sold” as such only to then gradually yet inexorably do the exact opposite.
This is deeply dangerous because it erodes trust in both governments and technology.
That being said, it’s not new. It’s been done before, it will be done again.
Consequently what could be done is to refuse any technology without safeguards, including the potential dismantle of the entire ecosystem in place the second it’s being abuse. It should be impossible to have mandatory usage without matching “canary in the coal mine” that force the system to stop AND the person responsible for it to also be removed from their function.
Oh wow, who could have possibly seen that coming? /s
