Hype vs. Hysteria of GPS

When I was a young child going on family vacations my dad would have to use a map or sometimes print out Google directions so that we could get to our Cape Cod destination successfully.  By the time I turned sixteen I did not have to use a map or anything like that.  Fortunately, GPS systems would built in to the car or available for an affordable price.  Once I got an iPhone finding directions became even simpler just by downloading an app (Google Maps).  Now when I’m going somewhere all I have to do is plug in an address from my current location. 

In this post I will apply the GPS technology with the concept of Hype vs. Hysteria we discussed in lecture.  Hype is the belief that this technology will change the world in a positive way.  Hysteria is the belief that this particular technology is going to have a negative impact on society and its people. 

            When the GPS technology was introduced to the consumer market many people had high hopes and positive attitude toward it, but there was also people with negative attitudes and had doubts about it.  GPS allows anyone to get accurate directions to any destination in the world.  I use GPS almost every time I am driving to somewhere I have never been before.  It is quick and easy to use because A) its on my phone and B) it directs me through the speakers in my car.  Also, Google Maps will analyze the route I am taking and offer to change the route if there is a quicker way to my destination.  But there are people with doubts and hesitations about GPS and how it can potentially have negative impacts.  And those people with those doubts aren’t wrong.  The article I chose to read is “Hacking GPS and Satellite Navigation: Potential Criminal Payoffs” by Future Crimes.  The article explains that hackers can use jammers to interfere with your GPS system on your phone or car, allowing them to control the route on your GPS.  Criminals could potentially locate and track expensive cargos or trucks with desired items and change their route or intercept these high valued cargos.  The scary part about this is that such “jamming devices” are widely available on the Internet for affordable prices so everyone can potentially use these devices for illegal purposes. 

            New technology advances are improved and developed very quickly these days.  And therefore society will only become more and more dependable on technology such as GPS.  People will have no idea when their GPS is hacked and is being manipulated by a criminal behind a computer.  I agree with the author that this is a potential and very likely concept of crime in the future.  We can see it now developing with recent events such as the Sony hackers regarding the controversial comedy “The Interview” and the hackers responsible for hacking Xbox Live on Christmas, which resulted in the service being shutdown for gamers trying to play their new games on Christmas.  This is a concept of crime that needs a solution/counter so that people’s safety and well being aren’t at risk. 

Article: http://www.futurecrimes.com/article/hacking-gps-and-satellite-navigation-potential-criminal-payoffs-3/