Account ID Controls

[Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>]

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We are informed that the primary method of social control in the future will
be account access control.  Bank account, credit account, phone account,
internet account, all of these accounts are supposed (or proposed) to be
restricted to True Persons (or other entities reliably linked to True
Persons).   The Powers That Be will then be able to track Bad Guys via their
account activity and use denial of service as a punishment.  Of course,
these controls will only work if the accounts are not anonymous.

Which leads us to the ads recently appearing in the New York Daily News.
Electronics Communications Corp (800) NYNEX 31 offers a no credit check
cellular phone.  You call them up, supply name, address and phone number and
they overnight you a phone C.O.D. for $243.56.  This includes one hour of
talk time.  The ongoing cost is $24.99/month and $36.00/hour (60 cents a
minute) for airtime (payable in advance).  You own the phone and your
service contract is renewed on a month-to-month basis as you pay the bill.

I wonder if they will ship to accomodation addesses?

If the authorities can't keep cellphone service out of the hands of the
unidentified anonymous hordes, it's hard to believe that they will be able
to keep any other kind account out of those hands.

DCF

"When phones are outlawed, only the outlaws will have phones."


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