Chow, Eugene, K. "Databases: Creating a New Digital Divide."Huffington Post, July 30, 2012.
From the blog: "Essentially, the root of the problem lies in the gap between
our digital selves and our physical selves. We've ceded power to our electronic
profiles and now our physical beings matter less than the data -- the person in
front of the immigration agent, poll worker, or bank teller is meaningless
compared to what is on the screen. In other words, data now constructs our
identity rather than vice versa. That is to say, if the Social Security
Administration believes you are dead, then you are denied all the rights of the
living, even if you appear in person. Meanwhile, if some esoteric database
believes you are a child molester, illegal immigrant, or convicted felon, then
you must deal with the consequences whether it is deportation, rejection from
jobs, or being ostracized by your neighbors until you can rectify the error." Read more
