Keeping an Eye On

Two actors take to the stage to present two future scenarios set in 2025. Afterwards there’s the opportunity to discuss in small groups the impact and direction of future technologies. And there’ll be time for audience-wide questions and answers with experts at the end.

Who’s keeping an eye on whom? How are they doing it?

CCTV cameras are all around us. They are supposed to deter crime. But in 20 years’ time, what else could this technology be used for? Where will developments in such technology take us? Will future surveillance recognise us individually?

In an image-ridden society, can we really control the use of our own image? Where do our images end up and how are they used? Today’s internet is awash with personal information and images on sites such as YouTube and Facebook. In the future, will the benefits of social networking outweigh the potential threats?

RFID tags provide another way of monitoring people. What details will people around us be able to take from these tags and what might the consequences be? E-passports will store personal information on RFID chips, but other potential applications of RFID tags include commercial and marketing activities. Would personal information about your taste embedded in your clothing enable more targeted marketing, or do you feel it affects your rights as a consumer? Would it make life easier for browsing shoppers, or would it end up branding consumers as clones?

Come and scan the future and discuss in small groups. The results of your discussions will be collected and reported back to policy-makers. It’s an opportunity for you to have your say on how you think future technologies should affect the way we live.

This event is run in partnership with The Royal Academy of Engineering and sciencehorizons.

Speakers

Nigel Gilbert, Professor of Sociology, University of Surrey
Cliff Jones, Professor of Computing Science, University of Newcastle
David Birch, Consult Hyperion

Facilitator:
Tom Ziessen, Wellcome Trust

Have you got what it takes to be a spy for the day? Find out at the Science Museum’s new spy skills exhibition, The Science of Spying, open from 10 February.