Wireless Freedom? Fail.

You may have spotted the TV ad with the tag line “America’s Wireless Freedom”. Like many blatant corporate image ads, this one seeks to convince you that, by inference, freeing your imagination, you are somehow free.

Keeping them honest, by now nearly everyone knows that their cell phone is essentially a tracking device, while many people are tethered to their cellular device 24×7. When your cell phone is powered, your every move is detected and recorded as a side effect of cellular technology (regardless of the “security settings” on your phone). Your every move is then scrutinized by business, government, and possibly criminals. The information is logged, along with the calls you make, the websites you visit, and the apps you use. This information can then be mined, along with the information gleaned from your fellow cell phone users now, and forever in the future.

The ad (below) from the CTIA (“The Wireless [Industry] Association”) is one of an ongoing flood of ads meant to focus your attention on the “wow” factor, and more positive aspects of cell phone use, so you’ll spend less time thinking about the disturbing consequences of being tethered to your phone.

This is the prime example of how we are being systematically robbed of our freedom. Through social and peer pressure, as well as pressure from employers to be “available”, as well as our subconscious fear of being alone, we are seduced into giving up our freedom by voluntarily wearing these tracking devices at all times.

The “Wireless Freedom” Ad

The CTIA’s YouTube channel has more advertisments of this type: http://www.youtube.com/user/CTIATheWirelessAssoc