predictive programs vol.3

July 13, 2022 / 6 Minute Read

1984 or 2014?

In 2014, Ubisoft revealed its iconic title Watchdogs. For those of you who have never heard of this amazing game, it’s basically GTA with hacking.

This game was a major part of my childhood, and I mostly look back on it with positive memories and nostalgia. Reviewing this title today however invokes feelings of angst, that lead me to question the true purpose of this game.

Throughout this series we have discussed the various mediums of predictive programming employed by the media to prep the population to accept certain ideologies.

Is it fair to say this hidden gem was a preview for the Post-Covid environment on the horizon?

A warning for those with eyes to see and ears to hear?

big brother

In current times, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about systems such as cloud and blockchain technology.

Cloud and blockchain technology are essentially a unified system of computers that are used to regulate the tech that runs our daily lives. These systems have been getting major attention over the past few years, even more so due to the pandemic, but it seems the developers of Watchdogs were already well aware of our current future.

The game features a fictional system of blockchain technology called the CTOS (Central Operating System).

The CTOS controls everything from cellphones and bank accounts, to infrastructure and security systems. Throughout the game this system is used for a number of nefarious purposes, and it is shown that people with knowledge of the system can manipulate it to cause massive collateral damage.

blume or bloomberg?

It’s interesting to note that in the “fictional” Watchdogs universe, the primary facilitator of the tech revolution is a company called Blume.

Blume creates the CTOS blockchain system and eventually works hand in hand with the government and major corporations to socially engineer society towards it’s desired goals through Big Brother tech.

In the real world, there is a company called Bloomberg that is literally doing the exact same thing! Just look it up.

Bloomberg is a software company based in New York that is actively using technology to reengineer society. They gather data from citizens, and then sell the data to private corporations to help them target consumers and achieve their financial and societal goals.

Many colleges and universities are implementing Bloomberg technology into their curriculum, and already have established Bloomberg terminals scattered throughout campus.

It is possible that in the near future, Bloomberg will mirror it’s fictional counterpart?

i see you

While much of the talk involving the looming Post-Covid technocracy has been positive, touting all the good that these technological “improvements” will bring; there are a plethora of drawbacks that are rarely shown in the media.

Watchdogs does a great job of showing the other side of the coin, and exposing how these new systems could actually facilitate the dystopian surveillance state that Orwell and Huxley warned us about.

Some of the main issues being discussed are the privacy concerns and diminished autonomy. Many have discussed the negative implications of major corporations having access to the private data of citizens, and in Watchdogs we see this nightmare made into reality through several sinister methods.

Crime Prediction

In the game the government and corporations use the data they collect to discriminate against citizens through crime prediction software. Basically, the CTOS assesses a crime or potential crime and then searches its database for citizens who may have the skills to commit the offense. The first mission of Watchdogs 2 involves the protagonist erasing his CTOS profile because he is being investigated for a crime he didn’t commit, simply because the CTOS system flagged him as a high probability suspect.

Financial Finesse

Another major drawback of the system is the ability to hack financial data. Throughout the game, players gain money through hacking into unsuspecting citizens’ bank accounts. This is already a major problem in the real world, and I’m sure many of you have already got your debit or credit card hacked before. This problem will only be exacerbated as electronic currencies and banking become standardized.

Mass Surveillance

Watchdogs provides a the full picture of the impending surveillance state that has become some popular through science fiction. Players are able to access city cameras, corporate servers, and people’s personal phones; stealing their data and listening to their private conversations.

Our modern world isn’t far behind, and most major cities are already infested with cameras on every corner. This agenda has been in motion for decades, and has simply been accelerated Post-Covid thanks to the contract tracing propaganda pushed by the government.

*Via: https://www.lawtechnologytoday.org/2019/07/what-to-know-about-big-brother-technology/*

We are already being watched 24/7, and if people don’t begin to raise concerns about this issue, we will soon find it impossible to escape from the all-seeing eye of big brother.

art imitates life

I want to make it clear that I’m not saying modern technological progress is bad. However, I think it is extremely important to understand ALL of the implications and ramifications of implementing these systems into our daily lives.

The news will rarely expose the negative drawbacks of these systems because it doesn’t fit their narrative.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world were quick to use various surveillance technologies to help mitigate the virus’s spread, from drones monitoring crowds to enforced social distancing reliant on app-based contact tracing. But intrusive surveillance has not resulted in countries ending the pandemic.

Instead, such powerful capabilities have left the door open to future human rights violations. Civil society can expect governments to justify using digital surveillance beyond the pandemic as a means to protect national security, implement governance priorities, and serve future public health interests. What is the cost of states’ growing use of these tools?”
Via: https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/10/19/intrusive-surveillance-after-coronavirus-pandemic-pub-85509

Throughout Watchdogs we see what happens when corrupt, ungodly people have access to these systems. At this point, it should be clear that these systems could just as easily be used for enslavement and oppression as for freedom and security.

Ask yourself…

Who runs the computers we so heavily rely on, and what are their motives?

Do you trust politicians and private corporations to have your best interest at heart?

Who will regulate this technology, and how will those people themselves be regulated?

Will laws and legislation really prevent people from using this tech nefariously?

WatchDogs showcases a grim scenario of a cold, unfeeling world run by computers and algorithms. Controlled by puppet masters seeking monopolies on the lives of the masses. Calling for the death of autonomy, privacy, and freedom.

This bleak future could soon become reality if the masses don’t resist the tempting narrative of a brave new world.

bye chance.