Dear readers,

    Two companies — Target and Neiman Marcus — made headlines last week. Target is a retail company that sells everyday items at low prices, similar to Walmart; Neiman Marcus is a high-end department store, offering merchandise from housewares to apparel to cosmetics. Seemingly distant, these two firms appeared in the news for the same reason — security breaches. Cyber-attacks launched against the firms compromised customers’ credit and debit card numbers, as well as personal information such as names and addresses, exposing individuals to the risk of identity theft.

    The age of digitization has brought an abundance of conveniences. Instead of buying albums burned onto CDs, we can download songs online for a fraction of the price. Instead of reading physical copies of books, we can rent e-books. Instead of carrying cash, we can store money on a card.

    My college ID card provides a variety of conveniences. When I need to take the campus bus, I use my card. At the turnstiles of buildings, I swipe to enter. When I’m hungry for food, I go to the dining hall and swipe a meal from my meal plan. Later in the afternoon, if I feel hungry for a snack, I can spend money I have deposited on my card at the local coffee shop. When it comes time to do laundry, I pay for the washing and drying machines with my card (it’s one dollar for each load). At the end of the day, when I arrive back to my dorm, I tap my card to get into my room.

    My college card combines the functions of a debit card, a key, a bus pass and an ID card. So many uses, in just one rectangular piece of plastic with a black magnetic strip! I’m amazed at the wonders of technology... and the dangers! Think of all the resulting inconveniences if I lost this card: I would lose access to buildings, dining halls, the library and so on, and my personal info may be leaked, just as the victims of the company security breaches reported in the news.

    The benefits and costs derived from digitization are contingent upon its use and maintenance. As consumers at the receiving end of technologies, we reap great benefits. At the same time, we should take caution and take measures, such as reporting a lost card immediately, to protect ourselves against potential risks.

    Sincerely,

    Bingyin