With the technology we have nowadays, almost everything we do leaves footprints and data that the government to random advertisers can use to track us down, identify a person, and gather some basic information to profile us, but with the Me.Ring, a design firm is hoping to provide anonymity for those who want it.
The Me.Ring is designed by Argodesign.
How Me.Ring Protects Your Data
The Me.Ring is designed by the company Argodesign and they are hoping to introduce a technology that people can simply switch on and off based on whether they want others to gain data from their face, location, or practically anything that could provide data.
Basically, the Me.Ring brings Incognito Mode to real life.
"The ring almost acts as the keys to engage (or not) with society, to whatever degree you're comfortable," said Jenny Clark, an associate creative director at Argodesign, as per Fast Company.
Clark has also created a hardware mockup for the ring.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that the company is not exactly building the device and it's merely a design concept, especially as the software that would support it is incredibly immense and may likely need help from the government as well as other private companies.
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Customize What You are Ready to Share
But based on the concept, the ring looks pretty simple, with a switch that you can turn on and off based on how comfortable you are with the data you share.
It would also come with a Me.Ring app that will allow users to customize their data privacy setting, such as sharing your contact data, or medical history and data with medical healthcare workers, and so on.
Although the premise is promising and it seems to work easily, it would still be almost hard to connect to everything that gathers data surrounding us, especially with cities installing more cameras and sensors.
The ring practically acts as the liaison and data broker to the user and the "invisible world of data trackers" that surround us.
A Liaison Between Users and the Invisible World
In order to do this, the ring would have to send a signal of some sort, maybe including a digital contract that would tell sensors whether the user's data is collectible or not, or which data are only accessible and for what purpose they are.
Meanwhile, private entities that want your data may send you an offer, as what Argodesign chief technologist and partner Jared Ficklin suggested.
"We're taking baby steps toward this [data marketplace]. With Europe's [GDPR], they said you as the user get to choose what data is recorded," Ficklin said, according to the news outlet, noting how every website these days would have messages pop up, asking users which cookies they could save. "99% of people say 'whatever.' 1% open it and check one option at a time."
The Me.Ring could be useful in today's society where data is essential and could be used to benefit you or harm you, but it's uncertain whether such concept would be picked up for the future, although the company has some great concepts that have been or are being built these days.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by: Nhx Tingson
