Random Scariest Current Technologies (20 items)

• 

  (#19) Tech Companies May Soon Release Flying Taxis

  Improvement to car batteries and the widespread use of drones means flying cars may be a reality sooner than we think. However, what about flying taxis? Multiple tech companies, aircraft manufacturers, and automakers are looking into creating taxis that can fly. Uber's chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, even said he would ideally like to start using flying cars as part of Uber's service in as early as five to 10 years. Anyone fearful of flying is bound to be spooked by the prospect of cars flying through the air, especially as any new technology is bound to have its fare share of mishaps. It also leads to the question of how to route air travel. While airplanes that fly miles above earth's surface are carefully regulated, would the same be true for flying taxis shooting through the air to pick up passengers?

  While the prospect of flying taxis is - in and of itself - spooky for many, some companies are adding an extra layer of fear. There's been talk of self-flying cars being produced. Given terrestrial bound self-driving cars are already causing their fare share of on-the-road accidents, the prospect of self-flying cars is more than a little alarming. 
• 

  (#20) Your Fitbit Might Know You're Dying Before You Do

  Technology is getting more and more personal, and now we have devices that can look inside your body to give you updates on your health. Wearable electronics like Fitbit are surging in popularity, which is allowing companies to gather intimate information about their customers anatomy. On top of that, many of these devices have the capability to alert their users of incoming medical emergencies. People's lives have been saved thanks to products like Fitbit, but it's still pretty weird that one of your devices could possibly predict your untimely death.
• 

  (#6) Your DNA Code Can Be Sold By Sites Like Ancestry.com

  Genetic analysis has made its way into the commercial market, and now anyone can have their genome sequenced at a relatively low cost. While finding out your genetic roots might sound appealing, you might want to read the fine print before you give over your DNA. When you ship off your genetic sample to be analyzed, you are giving away the right to use your DNA in any number of ways. While you don't lose your personal ownership to your genetic code, you are giving permission for companies to sell data taken from your genes to third parties. From there, there's no telling what kind of experiments will be run on your personal DNA. 
• 

  (#9) Fracking Is Causing Massive Earthquakes

  Renewable energy sources are the way of the future, but natural gas remains a necessary resource for many industries. Hydraulic fracking is a relatively new method of extracting natural gas from underground pockets, which uses high pressure fluids to penetrate deep into the earth. The process is highly controversial, particularly because one of the major side effects is spontaneous earthquakes. States like Oklahoma who have seen a fracking boon are also experiencing a drastic increase in the number of earthquakes they are experiencing, a phenomenon that could have deadly repercussions. 
• 

  (#1) Your Smart House Is Probably Spying On You

  Some people dream of a high tech home that is perfectly catered to them in every way, and finally that is becoming a possibility. There is a danger to this dream however, as smart homes are not always as benevolent as you would hope. All of those digital appliances that are hooked up to the internet have the capability to collect very personal data concerning your daily habits, and your ISP has the right to sell whatever data it slurps up from those devices. Everyone has pretty much accepted things like browsing history and other records from personal computers and phones are often sold to third parties, but smart homes are even more invasive. If you have a security camera installed in your home, videos are fair game for sharing with third parties. Some smart TVs are equipped with a microphone that's always on, meaning it has the potential to record random conversations that happen even when you're not watching television. 

  It's invasive enough to think random advertisers are peaking into your personal life to such a degree. However, it's even scarier to wonder what happens if parts of a smart home are hacked. In the wrong hands, someone could figure out when you're not home, listen in on private conversations, or even catch you naked on your security camera.
• 

  (#5) Ransomeware Can Be Used To Shut Down Critical Services

  Cyber attacks are increasingly appearing in the headlines, and their sophistication and potential for damage is growing every day. One common tool used in cyber attacks is something called ransomware, a type of computer virus that holds data hostage until the victim pays a ransom to get it back. Posing as an e-mail from a familiar company - like FedEx, a cable or internet provider, or the gas company - hackers get victims to open a link. The link then downloads a computer's hard drive and locks the user out, presenting a message saying they can only get back into the computer after paying ransom. 

  A ransomware virus known as WannaCry was behind a 2017 cyber attack that targeted the UK's National Health Service. The attack locked down computers in hospitals throughout the country, causing a national emergency that would last for several days before the virus could be deactivated. Without serious upgrades in computer security, attacks like these could happen with devastating regularity. So, next time you get a seemingly innocent email from a familiar company, use extreme precaution before opening any attachments. 

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking