"The problem is that technology is always a double edged sword.  Whenever a new technology is developed, it's always the rulers, the state, and the elete who get It first, and use it to Lord over the common people.  Eventuality, however, it filters down and the tables are turned.  In the long run it's liberating for the common man.  It always has been.  In my third novel, "Assassin",  I deal with exactly this.  How a whole suite of technologies today is being used to oppress, but will very quickly turn the tables on the state and the ruling class.  Cell phones are disruptive of people's basic psyches.  Their advances hugely out way their risks.  When only government's and the elite have a technology, it's very dangerous.  Once a technology is democratized, once everybody has it, it's liberating.  The cell phone any one of the seven billion people on the planet to communicate directly, quickly, and cheaply with anyone else.  That's fantastic.  The bottom line is that your convenient cell phone presents huge dangers from the point of view of personal freedom.  It's something to be aware of.  And the Chinese are definitely at the leading edge of it.                                                      China is in the process of taking over Africa.  Some years ago, a Chinese high government official said that their plan was to move three hundred million people from China to Africa.  It's a very intelligent plan.  They loan money to one government to build a port, a railroad, and an airport, or what have you.  The Africans can almost never pay those loans back-so the Chinese-as part of the deal-take over the facility and staff it with their own people.  If the African leaders don't like it-unlikely since they've pocketed millions under the table for facilitating the deal-they will likely find their lives are in danger.  If that doesn't work, the country may have a visit from the Red Army.  I suspect that this facial recognition thing in Zambabwe is just a part of a much bigger plan that relates to the social credit system that is instituted in China now.  Unobtrusive cameras are monitoring faces all the time.  And it's not just faces, it's your gate-the way you walk-and other indicators.  The world seems to be reverting to primitive global village status.  The trend is quite retrogressive...and anti personal freedom.  The general population will probably like more surveillance.  Even if it means being treated more like domestic animals.  Safety first, after all.  The cell phone is a very useful tool, but it's a mistake to allow any tool to become a central figure in your life.  Many people are symbolically attached to these things, like dogs on a leash.                                   Doug Casey @ RogueEconomics.com