Misuse of Technology?

I was browsing through my inbox today and somehow one of those emails about someone needing to get a large sum of money out of a country and needed my held made it past the spam filters.

Although that scam is not a new thing, it certainly gained a much wider potential audience when email became prevalent.

In my eyes this is a misuse of technology, as email was not intended to be used to underpin financial scams.

It got me to thinking, what other examples are there of misuse of technology out there?

My current favorite is:

Some cities in Texas have installed those traffic light cameras that take the offender's picture and automatically mail a ticket when a red light is violated. Unfortunately, some of these cities decided to change the yellow light period on traffic lights to well below the legal minimums, in order to generate more money for their city coffers. Because of this, many of these cities are being sued, and some of the traffic light cameras are being taken down.

I'd like to hear your favorite misuse of technology story. It doesn't have to be anything that's internationally known, as a lot of stuff happens that no one ever knows about, outside of the people directly involved.

MS

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Comments

dynamik

APA

Go Aussies!!!!!!

pwjohnston

eMeS wrote:

My current favorite is:

Some cities in Texas have installed those traffic light cameras that take the offender's picture and automatically mail a ticket when a red light is violated. Unfortunately, some of these cities decided to change the yellow light period on traffic lights to well below the legal minimums, in order to generate more money for their city coffers. Because of this, many of these cities are being sued, and some of the traffic light cameras are being taken down.

You know this pisses me off beyond all belief. In Philly they are putting those damn things in. Now while I don't have a problem with getting people that drive like asshats, and we have plenty of them on the east coast, there are CLEAR infrastructure improvements that need to be made to the road system. Does any of the money go toward that, well not that I've seen.

Do you links to any of those articles? We have this one light by my place that I suspect is doing the same thing.

pwjohnston

Oh and my favorite misuse is the ibrator.

I know there are a lot of faux adds for it, but I read in a “advise” column that they really did make one that attaches to the ipod and buzzes along with the music.

I’m not going to google it for a reference link here at work.

dynamik

pwjohnston wrote:

Oh and my favorite misuse is the ibrator.

I know there are a lot of faux adds for it, but I read in a “advise” column that they really did make one that attaches to the ipod and buzzes along with the music.

I’m not going to google it for a reference link here at work.

You can also get the iBrate app for your iPhone: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/ibrate-app-turns-iphone-into-vibrator-296843.php (SFW)

(I found that while searching for the iBrator. Honest.)

Tyrant1919

There's a few cameras on lights here in Abilene. And not related to misusing it, but the cameras have actually increased the number of accidents caused at the lights with cameras. From an actual police officer here that told me.

undomiel

Personally there are several people I've met that I believe qualify for a misuse of technology whenever they sit in front of a computer.

eMeS

pwjohnston wrote:

eMeS wrote:

My current favorite is:

Some cities in Texas have installed those traffic light cameras that take the offender's picture and automatically mail a ticket when a red light is violated. Unfortunately, some of these cities decided to change the yellow light period on traffic lights to well below the legal minimums, in order to generate more money for their city coffers. Because of this, many of these cities are being sued, and some of the traffic light cameras are being taken down.

You know this pisses me off beyond all belief. In Philly they are putting those damn things in. Now while I don't have a problem with getting people that drive like asshats, and we have plenty of them on the east coast, there are CLEAR infrastructure improvements that need to be made to the road system. Does any of the money go toward that, well not that I've seen.

Do you links to any of those articles? We have this one light by my place that I suspect is doing the same thing.

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/20/2068.asp

http://www.prattontexas.com/cameralaw-shell.htm

When the contractors installing the cameras are paid based on the amount of revenue generated a conflict of interest exists.

MS

itdaddy

undomiel

oh my god man that is hilarous! but true very true! haahahaah

eMeS

Tyrant1919 wrote:

There's a few cameras on lights here in Abilene. And not related to misusing it, but the cameras have actually increased the number of accidents caused at the lights with cameras. From an actual police officer here that told me.

I've read this also. People tend to slam on their brakes at these intersections, and are then hit from behind.

Technology is intended to solve problems. Sometimes solving problems introduces new ones.

Traffic light cameras to be seem to be the quintessential "solution in search of a problem". IMO, the whole topic is an example of misuse.

Of course, all sides of this argument are able to produce statistics that support their beliefs.

If the cities need more money to provide basic services, I would much rather see an honest approach taken and everyone pay their fair share, rather than the introduction of an ill-conceived piece of technology.

MS

undomiel

My wife's been rear-ended at 3 stoplights so far so anything contributing to more such accidents I am fully against. Her back hasn't been the same since. They suspect it may be nerve damage. I don't want to see any more people put through that, it just plain sucks.

pwjohnston

undomiel wrote:

My wife's been rear-ended at 3 stoplights so far so anything contributing to more such accidents I am fully against. Her back hasn't been the same since. They suspect it may be nerve damage. I don't want to see any more people put through that, it just plain sucks.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Just out of curiosity, who was at fault?(and by that I mean clearly the other guy, but what did the police and insurance say?) I have almost been hit a number of times due to tailgater's and been flipped off quite a bit. Philly seems to think that Green means go, Yellow means go faster, and Red means, wait was that red, oh well. Pennsylvania is a "fault state" and I've already been screwed by insurance after getting hit buy another guy.

undomiel

5 accidents so far for my wife and the other drivers have always been at fault. She's even been hit in parking lots. I definitely recommend avoiding Phoenix drivers! She says one more accident and we're out of here job or no job. Hitting the road as soon as we have a vehicle.

astorrs

pwjohnston wrote:

Philly seems to think that Green means go, Yellow means go faster, and Red means, wait was that red, oh well.

All of Pennsylvania seems to be like that. I was in Allentown last month and couldn't believe how much everyone loves to tailgate on the freeways - half a car length at 80 miles/hr - bunch of psychos...

Schluep

Being a Pennsylvanian myself I will agree with your point about rushing the light and also that PA residents are notorious for blocking intersections even when there is big white sign saying "DO NOT BLOCK INTERSECTION." They are however the best I have seen so far in the Country for getting out of the way when an Ambulance or Fire Truck is coming through. In may cases they jump curbs in their cards to make room and everyone pulls over to the side for them to pass in a way that I haven't seen elsewhere.

As for the getting back to the original topic of the thead with misuse of technology, I would say the ability to pirate software/media using far more effectively using the internet. I would also add the ability to commit fraud electronically such as stealing thousands of credit cards (has happened countless times just in the past year) without having to break into any building or bypass any physical security systems. Someone can even now steal a laptop worth potentally millions of dollars as compared to needing a cargo airplane to try and walk out with a cabinet full of papers or a mainframe previously.

Kasor

I saw many people misuse technologies everyday at work...! Such **** staff...... They are from the old age or never learn about the word "CHANGE."