Source: How Technology Helps Creditors Control Debtors – The Atlantic
From software that records your every keystroke, to GPS tracking, to ignition kill switches—lenders have more power over their customers than ever.
a woman in Austin, Texas, had fled her abusive husband, only to be tracked down by the subprime lender that had financed her car. By driving to the shelter, she had violated the loan agreement, which restricted her from driving outside of a four county radius. She was tracked down via GPS and her car was repossessed.
The law, working in tandem with DRM, shrank the very concept of ownership, allowing companies to force end-users into renter relationships.
Access controls ensure that the possessions you lease or rent don’t belong to you, even as you bring them into the most intimate parts of your life. The controls make sure that the privacy and security of the debtor come second to the property rights of the lender.