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Phase: Inspiration Missions: Learn from Analogies

ATMs are quite accessible

I immediately thought of ATMs: they're secure, they guide you through whatever you're doing, they're often equipped with braille and a hole to plug in your earphones, they're almost omnipresent (at least in the western world) …

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10 21

Written by DeletedUser

An ATM in a supermarket in Sweden (Photo by Jordgubbe, via Wikimedia Commons) An ATM in a supermarket in Sweden (Photo by Jordgubbe, via Wikimedia Commons)
It seems like ATMs have many of the features a modern voting system should have: security and safety, identification, ease of use (people already know how to use them), a lot of help if and when you need it, etc. 

There are some issues ( especially if you're thinking about using already existing ATMs) but I'm sure it's possible to work around those. 

I came across a patent from someone who's been thinking along the same lines, and has repurposed an actual ATM, but I think a really good solution needs to take it a few steps further – perhaps implementing biometric id, like someone suggested. 

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DeletedUser

This is great. It reminds me of the idea of using the coca-cola distribution network to deliver mosquito nets to areas where Malaria is an issue. Both are great ideas because they essentially piggy-back on current infrastructure to bring needed services, with comparatively little additional cost, to a population in need. Excellent!

I hesitate to tie the banks to the government anymore, but it seems your bank account information could provide enough of a unique identification to enable sufficient tracking.

I wonder if it would induce more crime though? It would potentially be one more reason for someone to try to steal your bank card.

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Interesting anecdote about the mosquito net distribution- and what a perverse picture it paints of western priorities and attitudes.

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DeletedUser

I agree that the Coca-Cola idea is an interesting one. But I'm not sure it describes a Western attitude, as much as a universal one. After all, if Coca-Cola really does have a functioning (profitable) distribution network in places that doesn't have traditional postal services (even to deliver life-saving equipment), there are customers making some interesting choices. ;-) Either way, it's a nice illustration of how there are opportunities everywhere – and a lot of them are human-made.

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Yes you are right! In talking about Western attitudes I was commenting merely on the irony of having a distribution network arising from activity that intrinsically contributes little to social good in place ahead of supporting the basic health needs of communities.

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DeletedUser

I understand. But am not sure that Coke's net contribution to social good is small. (Especially compared to the *other* Western attitudes that shaped the world's infrastructure.) Doesn't really matter, though, because in any case, it raises the important issue of who owns and operates the infrastructure. Would I trust Coca-Cola, a bank or the local internet service provider with my vote? I'm not quite sure – especially not in younger democracies. Then again, somebody has to collect and count the votes. Who can be trusted?

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