This could be a good thing. This could be a bad thing. Researchers from Delft are developing code that is essentially a virus that infects smartphones (Android) to create a distributed network. The good thing about such a network would be the creation of a network in disaster zones simply from people’s phones without requiring any action from them. The bad thing about such software is that is a replicating virus that can mutate and spread independently. One of the concerns about mobile phone networks is centralized control, which this avoids. One of the concerns about replicating software is that it is similar to scenarios that could initiate the Digital Singularity (though we don’t know if that would be good or bad.) Technology will continue to progress, for our benefit, but also with possible unintended consequences.
(Click on the graphic for the link.)
“Researchers Are Working On VIral, Self-Compiling and Mutating Android Apps” – Ars Technica
Pretending Not To Panic 