Orwellian System used for 'Sustainable Tourism'

Written By Monica Yelinyan

For a sustainable tourism plan, authorities in Italy want to know who is visiting Venice, where they are coming from and where they are going. CNN did a report on this and it began as the following: "They're watching you, wherever you walk. They know exactly where you pause, when you slow down and speed up, and they count you in and out of the city.

What's more, they're tracking your phone, so they can tell exactly how many people from your country or region are in which area, at which time.

And they're doing it in a bid to change tourism for the better.

Welcome to Venice in a post-Covid world."

This system has started since September 2020 in a control room on the island of Tronchetto. All the necessary information is accessible thanks to the phone records of the tourists. The system is to be used as a way of 'protecting' the city from damage and overcrowding. Yet the system can also be used for COVID-19. This makes it easier for the authorities to know who is walking into the street, with whom, and whether they are allowed to be there at all given the COVID restrictions.

Orwellian Surveillance system being used is obviously not enough in ‘the new normal’. Countries are starting to think about implementing a vaccine passport which is seen as the future modes of travel. Which also puts more pressure on the tourists. Furthermore, technologies are already in place and being further developed to monitor and enforce social distancing.

'The New Normal' is more Orwellian than one can imagine. Apparently, the authorities are not easily satisfied. Wearing a mask, closing stores, keeping your distance from your fellow man and being locked in your house is not enough. Now everyone has to watch every step they take.