Smooth space of payment and mobility

In this podcast Adam Greenfield talks about everyware and contactless transit payment systems. At time index 15:33 the following question is asked: “But as a New Yorker would you want that to happen?”

As a prideful New Yorker, this is what I think. I think that all of the questions about privacy can be addressed. A smooth space of payment and mobility can be designed with clear strong provisions to protect anonymity and privacy. I don’t think that’s at all out of the question. And so it’s just a question of political will and as somebody who, I take a great deal of pride in being from New York and I wouldn’t want the city to persist into the 21st century very much longer, with what is essentially a 19th century model of payment for services. It’s just, it is a shame to me.

Replace ‘New York’ with ‘the Netherlands’ and this quite accurately summarizes my feelings about the OV-chipkaart fiasco.

Listen to the entire thing, it’s worth it. There’s also a part one.