A world without privacy.

taking photoI had a dream last night.  Every smartphone that is powered on is discoverable and mapped (longitude and latitude accurate to 1 meter).

My first curiosity is “what are the positive outcomes vs. the negative impact?”  I’ve decide to do a “best case scenario” and a “worse case scenario”.   Not sure which if either would exist if there was no privacy.

BEST CASE SCENARIO

  • Crime rates fall 62% in Detroit alone.

  • Infidelity rates drop to an all time low

  • First responders reduce death rates by 3 fold

  • Car pooling “Uber” style becomes the norm saving billions in dollars and reducing our carbon footprint

  • Charity becomes targeted.  The efficiency of every charitable dollar increases substantially.

  • Statistics and Analytics for every event, street corner, and neighborhood is near real time and free for all to analyze and validate.

  • Targeted marketing becomes accepted and even pleasing.   EXAMPLE:  You are in Isle 15 at Walmart at 1200 King Street, Charleston, SC and Proctor & Gamble sends you a notification to get your toothpaste.

  • The Fire Apes (local band) receives a report after their gig from The Windjammer on attendance including demographics, floor times and revenue reports (including tips).

WORSE CASE SCENARIO

  • Crime rates go up!  Everybody knows where everybody is moment by moment

  • Targeted marketing becomes intrusive and overwhelming

  • “Double Lives” become the norm

  • We (all of us) feel a loss of liberty and oversight that creates a global “rebel” force that constantly hacks the system.

Such a world would never exist.

Author: John Rector

Co-founded E2open with a $2.1 billion exit in May 2025. Opened a 3,000 sq ft AI Lab on Clements Ferry Road called "Charleston AI" in January 2026 to help local individuals and organizations understand and use artificial intelligence. Authored several books: World War AI, Speak In The Past Tense, Ideas Have People, The Coming AI Subconscious, Robot Noon, and Love, The Cosmic Dance to name a few.

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