by ETIENNE

It's not about writing tickets, saving lives or fighting climate change; it's about knowing where every digitally marked human being is at all times

The digitization of transportation is kicking into high gear.

I reported on my Substack recently about a citizen backlash in San Diego over that city's plans to embed mass-surveillance technology along highways, at intersections, light poles, etc.

So-called "smart city" technology includes ultra-high resolution, internet-connected cameras, license-plate readers, facial-recognition scanners and speakers. It will set the framework for digital eyes and ears to spy on citizens 24/7, uploading personal data in real time to be perused and analyzed by law enforcement, financial decision-makers and other third-party stakeholders.

I reported on June 28 on how the Atlanta airport in cooperation with Delta Airlines is offering specialized "hands free" and "card free" services to air passengers who agree to take a biometric digital ID driver's license containing a facial scan. But I also discovered that American citizens are having their faces scanned by facial-recognition software, often without their permission, before they board international flights leaving not just Atlanta but many other U.S. airports.