Today we talk about "coning" the art and science of immobilising robotaxis by placing a traffic cone over their sensors.
Protestors are joining these movements not just because they are "Neo Luddites" who don't want technology to take human jobs (a whole separate and real issue), but also because of the real externalities of technologies that affect common areas and public spaces - autonomous vehicles are not just people movers, they are also roving smart cameras that could be equipped with facial recognition technology, watching the movements of bystanders who never opted in to the privacy and data sharing Ts&Cs of the companies behind the hardware and software.
In this regard, the issue is similar to that of the neighbours who didn't buy into Ring (or Vumatel here in South Africa) and yet still find their likeness captured on someone else's cloud.
The customers of these conveniences of course feel that their benefits in term of safety and comfort are worth a small (?) impingement in their fellow citizens former rights. The companies that sell these products can obviously argue the efficiencies and necessities and economics of using public data for private profit are a worthy trade off.
But what do you think?
Do the coners have a point?
How much of the commons should be up for grabs?
Should your right opt in negate your neighbour's right to opt out?
Let us know.
Anyway. Expect more man vs machine movements as both automation and surveillance creep across the commons.
Read more:
Turning robots into unicorns: https://www.reddit.com/r/SelfDrivingCars/comments/14ve5oy/making_driverless_cars_into_unicorns_a_night_with/
My security for your privacy : https://www.makeuseof.com/ring-doorbell-invading-privacy/
Neo Luddites fight back :
Coneheads and the tragedy of the commons