Credit Poles and Modern Surveillance Technology

In Gary Shteyngart’s novel Super Sad True Love Story, a prominent feature of the New York City streets is the ubiquitous credit pole that obnoxiously displays a passerby’s credit score for the world to see. It’s a symbol of how publicized everyone’s information has become, and also showcases the tracking technology possible in Shteyngart’s dystopian world. While Shteyngart doesn’t explain how the credit poles work, there is technology today that could replicate this outcome – although the eventual use of this technology to broadcast credit is very doubtful.

“The New Totalitarianism of Surveillance Technology” describes biometric tracking and identification systems including “facial recognition,” “iris-scanning systems,” “foot-scanning technology,” “voice pattern ID software, and so on.” Since these technologies focus on who a person is, instead of what information they volunteer, it is very easy to use them to identify people. However, objects obscuring the face like sunglasses or scarves, colored contacts, the use of crutches or a wheelchair, or a sore throat could all potentially disrupt various identification systems, not to mention more invasive yet permanent measures such as cosmetic surgery.

A less permanent but more effective way of tracking and identifying people is via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). These tiny chips broadcast a small piece of data throughout a short distance, and are generally embedded in some sort of supplementary identifying feature. An example of RFID can be found right at Indiana University, where the freshman ID cards have all been visibly embedded with them. One advantage of RFID tags is the surveillance system merely has to receive the broadcasted data, which requires less processing power than biometric systems that need to actively scan their environments for proper input (faces, eyeballs, or whatever the case may be). This means RFID receivers are faster and smaller and can be harder to spot. However, much like biometric identification, RFID also has its weaknesses; simply placing the card in an Altoids tin or wrapping it in foil can keep the signal from transmitting far enough for scanners to pick up (1). 

Given the tracking technology mentioned in “Totalitarianism” and the RFID trackers already in use at Indiana University, the technology needed for the credit poles featured in Super Sad True Love Story is entirely feasible. However, on a practical note, I don’t think credit poles will ever become a common sight – not only because there are government laws and regulations about who can view one’s credit, but also because a surveillance technology that broadcasts its location via credit score reviews is not a very good surveillance system. As demonstrated by the Abramovs, it alerts people hoping to avoid the surveillance of its location, and countermeasures such as the ones discussed above can be employed. 

References:

1. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/dont-let-them-scan-you-blocking-rfid-chips/