http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/01/opinion/chertoff-wearable-devices
In this article, Michael Chertoff argues that google glass is a step towards a world the likes 1984, where privacy is nonexistent. Although he may be right, his overall argument was weak and lacking proof. He begins with an overstated analogy that compared the new google glasses to "wearable drones" where millions of Americans would walk around "capturing video and audio recordings of everything that happens around them" that would be uploaded to "the cloud", which is basically free Internet storage. His analogy is a little contrived; he's comparing a pair of advanced glasses to militarized weapons capable of keen surveillance and mass destruction. To prove that google glasses are damaging to personal privacy, he cites the fact that one bar owner has banned the device because he fears it will make his patrons uncomfortable. There are hundreds of thousands of bars in this country; one owner's negative reactions is not nearly enough proof to support his argument. In addition, his ethos as secretary of homeland security during the Bush administration works against him because the Bush administration was responsible for tightening security and increasing national surveillance.Unfortunately, the rest of the article is him going on to ask the same question in multiple ways: who owns this information on the cloud and what will the consequences be? He is correct in arguing that videos can be taken of people without their knowing; someone wearing the glasses could be walking down the street and taking video. However, any smartphone or camera can do the same thing- even cameras on buildings do the same thing! Chertoff may be right in that the google glasses will promote the invasion of privacy, but the privacy of Americans has been disregarded for years with things such as the patriot act and previous technological advances; the only difference is now the power of surveillance rests with the people, rather than the government.
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