The Open Society Paradox: Why the Twenty-First Century Calls for More Openness--Not Less

In his analysis of the post-Sept. 11 problem of privacy vs. security, Bailey suggests that it's the openness of American society that's made it vulnerable, and that even greater openness will help make it safer. Technology is creating a world where we may not be forced to choose between safety and freedom, he says. Rather than trying to engineer a security clampdown, he argues, the development of three classes of technology—secure IDs and biometrics; surveillance technology such as facial recognition; and information analysis, or data mining—can remove the anonymity of those who intend harm while allowing average Americans and foreign visitors to go about their business. Bailey is an information technology consultant to the State Department and other organizations. The volume is distributed in the US by Books International. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR