A tech executive at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland discussed new technology being developed that tracks an individual’s carbon footprint.
We’re developing through technology an ability for consumers to measure their own carbon footprint,” said Alibaba Group President J. Michael Evans.
What does that mean?” Evans asked rhetorically. “Where are they traveling, how are they traveling, what are they eating, what are they consuming on the platform,” he answered.
Evans dubbed the technology an “individual carbon footprint tracker,” and told attendees at the WEF to “stay tuned” as the technology is not fully operational yet, but is expected to be soon.
The comments generated a flurry of criticism online about the potential privacy implications.
Alibaba Group president J. Michael Evans boasts at the World Economic Forum about the development of an “individual carbon footprint tracker” to monitor what you buy, what you eat, and where/how you travel. pic.twitter.com/sisSrUngDI
— Andrew Lawton (@AndrewLawton) May 24, 2022
“Have I got this right? They are going to track how I travel, where I travel, and what I eat. Are you serious? This will be so they will be able to limit our travel, where we travel and tell us what we can eat. How are we letting this happen?” one person complained on Twitter.
more at cbsaustin.com
feature image credit WEF flickr
