The Spy In The Coffee Machine: The End of Privacy as We Know it

by Kieron O'Hara, Nigel Shadbolt

What do you know about the new surveillance state that has been created in the wake of pervasive computing – that is, the increasing use of very small and simple computers in all sorts of host – from your computer to your coat? Well, these little computers can communicate via the web and form powerful networks whose emergent behaviour can be very complex, intelligent, and invasive. The question how much of an infringement on privacy are they? Could these intelligent networks be used by governments, criminals or terrorists to undermine privacy or commit crimes? From CCTVs to blogging, from cookies to RFID tags, we are sleepwalking into a new state of global hypersurveillance. And when even cans of Coke are connected to the internet, the risk of someone misusing this information is very high indeed. Kieron O’Hara is Senior Research Fellow in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, UK. Nigel Shadbolt is Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton, UK, and was President of the British Computer Society in 2006-7.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology

280 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2008

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written over a decade before I read it but it was surprisingly accurate with its forward thinking and very well argued and written.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this in a charity shop and wondered how it ended up there. I mean, it was only published last year, came from a reputable academic press and discussed something that's particularly important to our lives today.

Then I read it.

There's not anything wrong with this book per se. As an overview of privacy and of the possible ramifications of technology on our privacy, it's fine. But it seems to never really become much more than an overview.

The authors are unquestionably knowledgeable about the subject of privacy, and about how communication and browsing behaviour on the Internet affect personal (and community) privacy - but it seems that they are hamstrung by the book's attempt to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. The chapters on case-studies of other nations' handling of the Net seem particularly light-on, in my view.

There's some interesting thoughts provoked by this book; the exploration of Moore's Law and the ramifications on personal surveillance, and the possible ways of ensuring government transparency on surveillance are discussion-starters. But on the whole, the book left me feeling a little unsatisfied.

That said, I suppose this is a rapidly moving area; perhaps this work would be better served in an online, easily-updated format? It's funny - something printed last year can already seem out of date, so quickly are privacy and censorship debates moving.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although published back in 2008, The Spy In The Coffee Machine stills hold as much relevance today as it did back then and provides an accessible and interesting overview of all aspects of privacy. A great book to read for reference.

[Jaime Torrealba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little old, but good book

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enlightening read, this is bang-up-to-date and does a good job of demystifying some of the jargon bandied about in our increasingly connected world. All in all it's a very readable, engaging attempt to make sense of the steady erosion of privacy in an increasingly technological world, and what we might do to prevent that erosion.

[J. Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great starting point for anyone who wants to build a firm ground knowledge about the topic of "Privacy". Well-written. No assumption of computer knowledge.