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The NYT reports that city officials say that beginning in 2015 thousands of payphones across New York City will be converted into Wi-Fi hot spots, providing free Internet access, free domestic calls using cellphones or a built-in keypad, a charging station for mobile devices and access to city services and directions. “It’s going to help us close the digital divide,” says Maya Wiley, counsel to the mayor, noting that low-income people, particularly blacks and Latinos, rely disproportionately on cellphone browsing to get online (PDF) and data charges can add up. The network will be 100 times as fast as average municipal Wi-Fi systems, so a two-hour movie can be downloaded in about 30 seconds. The kiosks’ Wi-Fi range will extend 150 feet in any direction and up to 250 devices will be able to use the network at each kiosk without diminishing service. The city hopes to install about 10,000 kiosks, each about 9.5 feet high and less than a foot wide. The first 500 CityBridge sites will be available by late 2015 to early 2016, with the construction expected to go on for six years. The contract would last for 15 years.
A successful pilot project has been in operation since 2012 but some elected officials have expressed reservations about the city’s decision to entrust the final product to CityBridge, a consortium made up of companies including Qualcomm, Comark, Control Group and Titan calling it a monopolistic arrangement. “Instead of trying to rush the process, the administration should seek a new authorizing resolution from the City Council that contemplates multiple companies,” says Letitia James, the city’s public advocate. For her part, Wiley says that she is prepared for lawsuits against the city. “In my legal opinion,” says Wiley, “this is the coolest thing ever.”
(Score: 2, Informative) by bob_super on Wednesday November 19 2014, @06:16PM
31 minutes from story post to first Gubmint Paranoia post... bit slower than I had guessed.
Seriously, how much more spying information will this provide compared to the existing phone/WiFi networks, when most people have unsafe OS/apps and GPS on?
The NSA would likely be interested (MOAR DATA!), but I doubt there's much actual value, regardless of the intended conspiracy use.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Kilo110 on Wednesday November 19 2014, @07:25PM
So you don't see the potential for abuse here?
I doubt NYC officials have access to NSA or Apple's data, but they can probably access this without much issue.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Tork on Wednesday November 19 2014, @09:30PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 20 2014, @01:23AM
It doesn't matter if it is valuable to the NSA, it matters if it is valuable to the people to the people being spyed on.
Pervasive surveillance stifles free thought. If you know someone is looking over your shoulder, recording everything they see you do, it doesn't matter how innocent your actions are the weight of their stare is a drag that will restrain you.
(Score: 2) by cafebabe on Thursday November 20 2014, @03:43AM
It is better to frame the argument in terms of false positives and false negatives. A false negative is devastating but rare. However, false positives are adversely affecting innocent people on a daily basis. For example, a wife searching for pressure cookers and a husband searching for rucksacks led to a SWAT team busting down their door because, like, that's what terrorists search for.
1702845791×2
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 20 2014, @04:27AM
> It is better to frame the argument in terms of false positives and false negatives.
Is it? Only if the people you are talking to have never felt the yoke of social disapproval before.