They can be used in case your car has broken down on the highway and to catch up with your friends whenever and wherever you like. They can be used fora range of smart mob activities. But they can also be used to solicit sex and conduct drug deals. One thing caught my eye in the wave of reporting about the urban unrest in Paris: the use of cell phones in arranging fire bomb targets and in avoiding the police:
The youths said they dodge the authorities by splitting into small groups, using their cellular telephones and text messaging to alert each other to the location of police and firefighters.
I wonder how long it is before certain kinds of text messaging is criminalized and tracked.
I imagine it will not be long before police can order selective shutdowns of cell networks in areas affected by civil unrest or protests, either by powering down the towers or blocking all traffic except 911 calls. Some theaters and restaurants already have cell phone jammers to prevent incoming or outgoing calls.