“As a computer professional who witnessed the birth and expert counterfeiting of ‘the internet’, I watched with trepidation as rapid-fire communication often laid waste to… infested and compromised our personal relationships. I resisted ‘the smartphone’ for more than 10 years, because I could smell the danger there. And it smells like death.

More than 20 years ago, I was aware of the potential in such communications, for bad actors to masquerade as those we know. When I receive a text, I do not presume the sender. I never did. Instead, I bear in mind that … in cyberspace … one does not know the identity of the originator of a signal. Nor their intentions. While it is impossible to be circumspect enough to protect the relational membrane in technological communications, it is helpful to remember that the messages we receive sometimes, and soon … often … are not necessarily from the person whose identity they advertise.

“Hello, how are you?” is a phrase used by scammers and criminals worldwide. Recently, I received a text saying “Tomorrow is Halloween, how do you intend to spend the holiday?” This was not a message from a known interlocutor; it was a gambit to validate my phone number.

Soon, our technologies will allow unknown and undesirable others to so closely mimic us as to be effectively validated by the appearance of association with us. We must take care, and develop ways to validate our communications companions. Because it won’t be long before my voice, even my face, can easily and effectively be counterfeited.”

— WS 876, in recent communications