It continues to amaze me how easily and nonchalantly terms like "near-field communications", "enhanced image technology" and the like are accepted by the general public without raising concern or question as to their intent or necessity.

We live in a world where technology has provided us with amazing advancements and benefits, but it continually butts up against the privacy that we are supposedly guaranteed as citizens of the US (yes, I am only talking about America here since I'm not familiar w/ the laws 'n liberties of other countries). Privacy is a pluralistic concept that must be practiced on a daily basis if it is to survive amongst the constant barrage of "features" being sold to us. I want someone to be able to read the RFID software running on my Droid without my explicit consent no more than I want them to take naked pictures of me when I have shown no possible indication that I have an intent on hurting others.

Sure, turn your wifi/APN/Bluetooth/GPS off and only turn them on when you want to use them (ignoring the battery issues), but this treats our right to privacy as the alternate option, not the default one. I shouldn't have to be forced on a daily basis to constantly defend my default option of privacy, but I am. Do I use credit cards and have GPS turned on? Sure. Does that make me a hypocrite?

Absolutely not.

It's my right to choose when and how I allow someone into 'my world' and every time that choice is either not provided or taken away from me by default, the balance between privacy, publicity, and secrecy is thrown.