Mark of the Beast

China says new digital currency will be similar to Facebook's Libra - Reuters
Reuters reports: "China’s proposed new digital currency would bear some similarities to Facebook’s Libra coin and would be able to be used across major payment platforms such as WeChat and Alipay, a senior central bank officer said. [...] Mu said China’s digital currency would strike a balance between allowing anonymous payments and preventing money-laundering. It would also bear some similarities to Libra in design but would not be a direct copy, he said without elaborating."

Comment: If half the world transitions to a digital currency, can the other half be far behind? 

Mark of the Beast

Facebook plans its own currency for 2 billion-plus users
AP reports: "Facebook already rules daily communication for more than 2 billion people around the world. Now it wants its own currency, too. The social network unveiled an ambitious plan Tuesday to create a new digital currency similar to Bitcoin for global use, one that could drive more e-commerce on its services and boost ads on its platforms."

Comment:  Apparently Facebook is toying with the idea of creating a new digital currency for FB users. Since FB is a global social network, we could call it a new global digital currency. Pretty interesting, right? I'm thinking of the Biblical "money changers" at the temple, it's always been big business to "help" people exchange currency. This is one of the things a global currency would have to overcome, there are so many vested interests that would be threatened by making it so easy for people to use the same currency everywhere. On the other hand, it would make it easy for people to buy things in a truly global online marketplace and to send money internationally. It might put Western Union out of business! Still, the question remains, would you trust Facebook with your money?And if Facebook controls it, could they decide to restrict your access if you fall out of favor?

Mark of the Beast

New bitcoin gift cards could take cryptocurrency mainstream
UPI reports: "Edmonton, Canada-based Bitcoin Solutions has developed what it hopes is a new solution -- by allowing people to buy bitcoin gift cards online, which can be loaded into digital wallets and spent anywhere bitcoin is accepted. Or investors can hold on to the bitcoin as an investment. [...] Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, ethereum and others use a decentralized blockchain rather than a bank. The same blockchain can be used for micro payments, smart contracts and a host of other services that could disrupt traditional ways of doing business."

Comment: I should start with my usual disclaimer: I'm not saying this is the Mark of the Beast, I'm just noting trends. In this case, distributed ledger technology can be used for many different kinds of applications, including identity management, and I think it's a technology worth keeping a watchful eye on. 

Mark of the Beast

Hertz, Clear partner to speed rentals with biometric scans
The AP reports: "Biometric screening is expanding to the rental car industry. Hertz said Tuesday it is teaming up with Clear, the maker of biometric screening kiosks found at many airports, in an effort to slash the time it takes to pick up a rental car. Clear hopes it will lead more travelers to its platform, which has 3 million members in the U.S. It’s the latest place consumers will find biometric technology, which has migrated over the last 50 years from secure government facilities and banks to airports, stadiums and even smartphones that unlock with the touch a fingerprint. Hertz is the first rental car company to use the technology."

Comment: I wonder if saving a small bit of time is worth giving up biometric data to a car rental company? Perhaps frequent flyers would say yes, but I'm betting the vast majority of travelers will balk at that. 

Mark Update

Biohacker Who Implanted Transit Chip in Hand Evades Fine – Futurism
Futurism.com reports: "In April 2017, Meow-Meow implanted a chip in his hand. The chip is from his Opal card, needed to ride public transportation in Sydney, and it essentially functions as a debit card — users add money to it, then whenever they use a bus, train, or other transportation service, they swipe their card to pay the fee. Thanks to his new implant, Meow-Meow no longer had to worry about losing his card. The biohacker could just place his hand near the Opal card reader and be on his way. All this was presumably working out OK for Meow-Meow until August 2017. That’s when the New South Wales transport authority, which issues the Opal cards, charged him with traveling without a ticket and failing to produce a ticket for transportation officials."

Comment: It doesn't surprise me that bureaucrats would be petty and not really grasp the concept. I think the real story here is the use of an implanted chip as a payment device and access device. As a proof of concept, that is very compelling. I think that early adopters like this guy have clearly demonstrated that an implanted chip is a practical means of combining identity verification, access control and mobile payments. It's possible. Whether the MOTB turns out to be a chip is still up for debate but for now, it's clear that this tech is here now.

Mark of the Beast

Amazon considering opening up to 3,000 cashierless stores by 2021: Bbg
Reuters reports: "Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) is considering a plan to open as many as 3,000 new Amazon Go cashierless stores in the next few years, Bloomberg reported here on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. [...] The Amazon Go store, which has no cashiers and allows shoppers to buy things with the help of a smartphone app, is widely seen as a concept that can alter brick-and-mortar retail."

Comment: Ok, let's get this out of the way first: I'm not saying this is the MOTB and I don't claim to know what the MOTB will be. That said, I think it is worthwhile to note trends and technologies that may become the MOTB.

I think this is a noteworthy development because it suggests a level of technology that allows people to shop without cash or traditional payment methods. They do, however, need to scan an app before entering the store. In other words, if you don't have the app, you can't buy anything. Commentators have been anticipating the rise of a cashless society for many years now and although we are not there yet, this development is bringing that day closer.  Let's keep an eye on this.

Mark of the Beast

Bitcoin near $10K -- now seven times more valuable than gold - UPI.com
UPI reports: "The virtual currency bitcoin hit a new high of $9,700 on Monday -- making it worth seven times more than an ounce of gold. After starting the year with a value of just $1,000, the currency's value has skyrocketed 860 percent this year. Its value was listed at $8,000 just last week. The latest gains could be fueled by expectations of big investors, such as hedge funds and asset managers, pouring money into the currency."

Comment: I'm starting to follow Bitcoin news after being a bit late to the party. I looked into this a bit and it does appear that the underlying technology may be a potential platform to host a universal currency. The usual caveat applies:  I'm just following trends and don't know what the MOTB will turn out to be.

Mark of the Beast

India's Supreme Court rules privacy is a fundamental right - AP
AP reports: "India’s top court ruled Thursday that privacy is a fundamental right of every citizen, in a landmark judgment that could affect the country’s mammoth identity card system. The verdict was in response to many petitions filed in courts questioning the validity of assigning a biometric identity card to every individual. The government has made the identity card mandatory for all citizens to receive welfare benefits, but human rights groups raised concerns about the risk of personal data being misused. [...] Rights activists hailed the verdict as a win for individual freedom."

Comment: This is a win for the people of India but also something of a disappointment. As a test-case for mark-tech India was making remarkable strides in combining biometric identity verification with a broad range of government services. I saw it as a laboratory for seeing what could be done in this area with off-the-shelf technology combined with sheer government coercion and the outcome was looking rather impressive. The currency system of an entire country was being changed almost overnight and millions of undocumented people were being brought into an online system and given digital identities to secure services and payments. It was an impressive accomplishment. All of that is in doubt now. It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

Mark of the Beast

Wisconsin company hopes to offer microchip implants to employees - UPI.com
UPI reports: "A Wisconsin company wants to offer surgically implanted microchips for employees to make it easier to buy snacks in the break room. [...] the implanted microchip makes it easier for people to pay for items at work. Instead of looking for coins, cash or a credit card, they would only need to place their hand in front of a scanner and electronically pay for their item. The microchip would have other uses, as well, like serving as an electronic key to open doors and identify the user to login at a computer. [...] Approximately 50 Three Square Market employees have volunteered to have the microchip inserted. Westby said it is not mandatory."

Comment: This seems like a clever way to entice people with the novelty of it while desensitizing them to the extreme privacy threat posed by implanted chip tech. I love that line where the CEO says it's not mandatory and he left off the "yet" part, lol. I would like to think that Americans still retain enough of the independent spirit to ever go along with this kind of monitoring and control.

Mark of the Beast

AP - Face scans for US citizens flying abroad stir privacy issues
The AP reports: "If the Trump administration gets its way, U.S. citizens boarding international flights will have to submit to a face scan, a plan privacy advocates call a step toward a surveillance state. The Department of Homeland Security says it’s the only way to successfully expand a program that tracks nonimmigrant foreigners. They have been required by law since 2004 to submit to biometric identity scans — but to date have only had their fingerprints and photos collected prior to entry. Now, DHS says it’s finally ready to implement face scans on departure — aimed mainly at better tracking visa overstays but also at tightening security. But, the agency says, U.S. citizens must also be scanned for the program to work. Privacy advocates say that oversteps Congress’ mandate."

Comment: It's been a while since we had a MOTB update. I'm not sure this really rises to the level of a good update. As you can see from the report, it's very tentative, part of me thinks "ok, let me know if they actually do require face scans" but the reality is that they probably will. Consumers have already demonstrated a willingness to surrender their privacy and their dignity in the name of travel safety, this is simply one more step. I suppose we should not be too alarmed, no doubt the biometric ID database will be well secured from hackers, right?  Finally, the usual caveat, I'm not saying that this or any other biometric tech is the MOTB, this is simply a tech trend worth keeping an eye on. 

Mark of the Beast

India is building a biometric database for 1.3 billion people — and enrollment is mandatory - LA Times
The LA Times reports: "Nearly 9 out of 10 Indians have registered, each assigned a unique 12-digit number that serves as a digital identity that can be verified with the scan of a thumb or an eye. [...] Designed as a showcase of India’s technological prowess — offering identity proof to the poor and reducing waste in welfare programs — Aadhaar’s grand promises have been muddied by controversy as the government makes enrollment mandatory for a growing number of essential services. [...] Soon, as more private companies use the database, it could become difficult to open a bank account, get a new cellphone number or buy plane or train tickets without being enrolled."

Comment: This sounds like a privacy nightmare but it's certainly an interesting experiment in government mandated identity verification.  If India can make it work it will become an attractive option for many other countries.

Mark

Japan convenience stores to cut out workers, scan entire baskets - UPI.com
UPI reports: "By 2025 the country's major retailers, including Seven-Eleven Japan and other chain operators, will allow customers to use self-checkout computer kiosks to scan an entire basket of items without requiring individual scans, The Nikkei reported Tuesday, local time. [...] Chips, or radio frequency identification tags, that can compute all items simultaneously are to be used at Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart and Ministop stores, where they will be in active use in major cities by 2018, according to the report."

Comment: I think the cost of upgrading hardware would be prohibitive in a large country like the U.S., still, it's an interesting development, it shows how advanced RFID tech has become. 

Mark of the Beast

Swedish company Epicenter implants microchips in employees - UPI.com
UPI reports: "About 150 employees the Swedish technology firm Epicenter agreed to have a microchip inserted in their hands, the company said. The RFID, or radio frequency identification chip, is about the size of a grain of rice and will allow workers at the company to open doors automatically and use electronic devices more efficiently. The chip is implanted in an employee's hand."

Comment: The Mark of the Beast prophecy found in Rev 13:16-18 is one of the most specific prophecies in the Bible and also one of the most enigmatic.  I'm not dogmatic on the subject and enjoy speculating on what it could be, alternating between a high-tech solution like an implanted chip to something as basic as a tattoo. Lately it seems like the high-tech answer is gaining ground, with remarkable innovations coming in the fields of mobile commerce, identity verification and biometrics. I don't claim to have the answer, but I am dedicated to watching the trends. In this latest news, some Swedish workers are having chips implanted into their hands. It sounds like this is a small-scale experiment with a technology that has wider commercial applications. It will be interesting to see how it goes. If your company offered this service, would you get chipped? 

Mark of the Beast

IBM, Visa Want Smart Devices, IoT Gadgets to Replace Themselves | Digital Trends
Digital Trends reports: "As technology grows, so do the options for making purchases. Already millions of people are able to buy things using PayPal or Apple Pay, but IBM and Visa want to expand that even further. Together, they want all connected devices to act as mobile payment systems. By collaborating with Visa, IBM will use its own Watson Internet of Things (IoT) platform to allow businesses to quickly add secure payment options to any device connected to the internet. These days, that means anything from a car, to a ring, or even a shoe."

Comment: That sounds great, but I would be concerned about privacy and security. They will really need to reassure consumers that these payment systems are safe before mass adoption.

Mark of the Beast

Amazon planning app-based 'Go' stores in U.S. next year - UPI.com
UPI reports: "E-commerce giant Amazon.com on Monday unveiled plans to open brick and mortar app-based grocery stores in the United States -- a venture the company hopes will fill an enduring need for millions of Americans. The company announced Amazon Go, which will feature a no-checkout process called "Just Walk Out Shopping" -- in which shoppers can enter the convenience-style store, take what they need and walk out. Advanced retail technology automatically detects what items were taken and bills customers' Amazon accounts."

Comment: It's been a while since we've had a good MOTB update so I'll repeat my usual caveat: no, I'm not saying this is the MOTB, just an interesting tech trend to keep an eye on. After all, the implications of this are huge. Amazon has a technology that will do two very important things at the same time: it validates your identity and it processes the transaction.  If this process is seamless it could revolutionize retail. It's not a stretch to say the same kind of process could be used down the road to implement the mark.

Mark of the Beast

MIT created a temporary tattoo that can control your connected devices - TNW
The Next Web reports: "In the future, your tattoos could be as functional as they are expressive. MIT, in partnership with Microsoft, created a new touch interface, DuoSkin, that allows temporary tattoos to interact with smartphones or computers, display output based on body temperature changes and even transmit data using NFC."

Comment: It's been a while since I've come across an interesting Mark-related news report. This high tech tattoo looks like a way of combining the cool factor of tattoos (so popular these days) with the functionality of a tech interface. A word of caution, I'm not saying this is the MOTB, it's just some interesting tech to keep an eye on.  I always like to emphasize that because I'm aware that past generations went a bit nuts in tagging emerging tech as the MOTB. I think all we can really do is watch tech trends and see where things are going.

Mark of the Beast

People are using chip implants to open doors, control phones - CNET
CNET reports: "Minnesota software engineer Tim Shank uses a chip implanted in his finger to unlock the smart lock to his home. He also has an NFC chip with contact information stored in it, which lets him easily tap and send the info to an Android phone. [...] Shank is just one of a growing movement of biohackers who are implanting devices and chips in their bodies to perform different technological tasks."

Comment: It's been a while since we had a good MOTB update and this is an interesting if unsurprising story about how the biohacking community is taking to chip implants.  I mean, you would kind of expect that, right? At any rate, I no longer envision implanted chips to be the MOTB (our technology has moved so far beyond mere hardware) it's fun to check in once in a while and see if there have been any new developments. I should also note that this news site will attempt to start playing a video, so very annoying when you don't even have you earbuds in.  

MOTB

Novel e-skin may monitor health, vital signs - UPI.com
UPI reports: "In a bid to take high-performance wearable electronics to a new level, Japanese researchers have developed an 'e-skin' that may be a noninvasive way to monitor patients' health and vital signs. The ultra-thin, flexible film can light up and display numbers or images. It moves easily with the body and is resistant to air and water damage, according to the scientists who created the technology."

Comment: It will be interesting to see what future versions of the technology will look like. Presumably the tech will improve in terms of how thin it is, how long it can be applied to the skin, and the number of apps that it will work with. 

Mark of the Beast

Amazon Files Patent to Let You Complete a Payment With a Selfie - ABC News
ABC News reports: "No need for a password -- the transaction of the future could be completed by simply taking a selfie. Amazon filed a patent application this month, spotted by Re/Code, for a system that would allow users to take a selfie or video of themselves to complete a transaction."

Comment: This is interesting as it suggests an advancement in image recognition software with a focus on faces as a means of completing transactions. 

Mark of the Beast

Cash aid for Jordan's refugees an iris scan away - Yahoo News

AFP reports: "Syrian refugees in Jordan will get faster access to United Nations cash aid through an iris-scanning ATM network, removing the need for bank accounts and cards.  [...]  Under the project dubbed 'EyeCloud, the refugees receive cash in less than 30 seconds from machines equipped with biometric technology. Around 50 specially-adapted ATMs have been set up across Jordan, in cooperation with a local bank, to provide refugees quicker access to money."