Silver Lake Daily

On the occasion of Silver Lake's 100th anniversary, we would like to take you back to where it all began. Exactly 100 years ago, this city was build from the ground up. A few tec companies started to invest in smart city technologies. At that time, no city was willing or able to implement this rather new technology in such an amount, that those companies could push their research even further. So the only consequence was to build an entirely new city as a test area. As a perfect location the Mojave Desert in Nevada was picked.

A major part of smart city deals with the collection of data of, for example, traffic volumes, air pollution, usage of public spaces. This data is then analysed (by and artificial intelligence) and used to improve the existing situation. To enable the process of collecting and analysing data, huge storage spaces were necessary. The data is saved on server, which get stacked because of space-saving measurements.

Because every company has their own district, every company has their own sever tower as well. These towers and every tool to collect data are connected through a network, which spans across the whole city. 

After the planning process was completed, these companies looked for people, that wanted to move into the city and live there permanently. The people that showed up, were genuinely intereseted in this new technology and new way of living. Everyon, who moved here at the age of 18 or over, got a microchip implanted, that connected to the city wide network as well. Through this chip, every citizen can access their own cloud storage and personal profile, which is basically on big file about the basic information that you need to master everyday life. Without this chip, you wouldn't be able the live here.

Another part of the smart city concept, is green energy and green buildings. Plants are integrated into the city wherever it is possible.

By Alicia Penwood                                                                                                                                                                                25.03.2138

Disclaimer: This column portrays the personal opinion of the author.

Do you think that these coporations like INSCO and OrasCOM are working together with the city council to improve the city and our lives?

Unlikely any other article I wrote, this one is a very personal one.

I was born and raised in the OrasCOM district of Silver Lake. When I turned 18, I, like every other person in this city, got a chip implanted and the corresponding contact lenses that project texts and images directly to your retina, as a debut to the city. This chip connects you to your online profile that you use for daily life and the network that spans across the whole city, in which evey district has their own cloud storage and access points. Every person with this chip has their own personal cloud storage in which you can save memories or grocery lists, etc.

At age 20, I moved to my own place in the same district and studied journalism. After my graduation I started working for the Silver Lake Daily and wrote for this magazine ever since.
Over the years I saved a lot of money to buy my own apartment one day. A few months ago, I took the chance and moved to the newly built INSCO district. My apartment was designed bei an artificial intelligence developed by INSCO and the government. The AI used information about me, that the city collected and stored over the years.

As it comes to furnishing, I am very picky about what I bring into my apartment. Through the stored data about me, INSCO knew exactly what I wanted and recommended a lot of furniture pieces, which I then acually bought. Among these pieces were a mirror called the „Informirror“. It let‘s you read the news or emails while your brushing your teeth or getting ready. Above I attached my memory of buy it. I was very happy with this mirror, it helped me to save a lot of time.

One morning, I was in the middle of applying my makeup, the network glitched (as reported 10.01.2138). As we all know, this is not really unusal. It happens a few times a year and becomes noticeable by a silght headache. But this time I experienced it differently. The mail I was reading glitched too and random text appeared on the mirror. At first I was really annoyed, but as I started reading these lines that were running across the mirror, I couldn‘t believe what I read. Because of that glitch, I suddenly had access to every little piece of information that the city‘s surveillance system gathered of me. Apparently it started at age 16, that my data was collected and every move was tracked. I could see what I did at any random day and place in my life, wether I was meeting with friends, had a date or took a shower.

So beside basic information about that specific person, your personal online profile saves a lot more data about your behaviour, preferences and daily activites. Based on these information these precise information, I talked
about, can be made. As I digged deeper into this topic, I discovered that the companies that should actually work with the government, took over the city council. Through tricky phrasings in contracts between the city and these companies, they lost control over them and so they developed their own corrupted system that the city council had to cover for. The data mining and analysing is just the top of the iceberg. Theoretically, everyone in this city has an online copy of themself stored in these huge server towers that are spread across the city.
The most important question is: what are they going to do whit all this data besides selling it to other companies? What is yet to come?

Note from editor in chief Margo Shelby, 27.03.2138: Due to this article, the network micro chip of Alicia Penwood has been deactivated and she is nowhere to be found. We at Silver Lake Daily hope for the best. But after this reveal we all can imagine what has happened to her.