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Privacy

The Wandering Earth demonstrates the implications and complications of privacy from both individual people and the government in a society where technology has been enhanced and integrated into everyday life, much like our own. 

Privacy From Individuals

  • Identity theft is portrayed similar to how it is in today's society. A physical object can be used to steal someones identity as well as virtual means. Liu Qi is able to steal his grandfather's ID, much like someone today can steal a credit card [1]. 

  • Peoples identities are much more vulnerable as they are highly digitized. Liu Qi and Han Duoduo are able to have their identity information illegally changed in the network to be able to have access to go outside. This ability could potentially be used to perform identity theft as well and leaves everyone in the network vulnerable to it.

  • Technological advancements can diminish individuals privacy through location tracking. This is seen when Liu Peiqiang is able to ask MOSS to locate his son on earth for him all the way from the space station. However, this is similar to how police can catch criminals using GPS in their cell phones, just on a much larger scale [2].

  • When working together to repair earth engines, each team member is completely aware of each others' health status by using the terminal screens on the wrist of their suits. This is reasonable in the situation, but is radically different than in today's age where medical privacy is protected under law [3].

Privacy From The Government

  • Even in the future, the notion of public privacy in a people's republic such as China is still relevant in the plot. Liu Qi gets in trouble for fooling around with his grandfather's vehicle as it is still considered public property.

  • Furthermore, surface vehicles (which are barely private property anyways as described above) can be requisitioned in cases of emergency. This is similar to the current day concept of commandeering, but this is rarely used [4].

  • The United Earth Government also has total control over the entire Wandering Earth Project and has access to any information relative to the project. They are able to broadcast to anyone, anywhere, at any time, including the space station. They can also view peoples terminal statuses. This can invade individuals privacy especially if these powers are abused.

References

  1. “Avoiding Identity Theft.” Consumer.gov, 29 Sept. 2019, www.consumer.gov/articles/1015-avoiding-identity-theft. Accessed 4 May 2020

  2. Totenberg, Nina. “Can Police Track You Through Your Cellphone Without A Warrant?” NPR, NPR, 28 Nov. 2017, www.npr.org/2017/11/28/564713772/can-police-track-you-through-your-cellphone-without-a-warrant. Accessed 4 May 2020

  3. “Your Rights Under HIPAA.” HHS.gov, US Department of Health and Human Services, 31 Jan. 2020, www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html. Accessed 5 May 2020

  4. Siegel, Neil S. “Commandeering and Its Alternatives: A Federalism Perspective .” Duke Law, Duke University, 2006, scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2299&context=faculty_scholarship. Accessed 6 May 2020

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