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     With digital convergence and technology making leaps and bounds, it would not be difficult to float a monthly "cold-case" e-mail for a legitimate missing person. Especially, when the missing person is an "Amber Alert". How many people have "weather bug" or stock tickers as their BHO(browser helper objects). A simple object placed in the code of the internet browser that kicks up an alert in the status bar, the internet service provider could be mandated to do this and the customer would have to oblige in order to use the service. This would be a well intended concept.

     However, as is with all well meant concepts, someone, somewhere, will develop a means to use this for ill will and profit. A prime example of this type of activity would be every trojan horse hi-jacking program in existence. If "we" participate in missing person e-mails would "we" also be inclined, and required to participate in the national emergency broadcast system via e-mail?
     One very crucial point, as unbelievable as it may seem, there exists a small portion of the "we" that still have absolutely no concept of e-mail or the internet; the impoverished. Households below the national poverty level may not have this resource available to them. Some families do not even have electricity, as disturbing as that is.
     The decision is a morally based preference. As a society we should endeavor to find our lost. And, why not? "We" assemble, vote, and bicker for the opportunity to be here. We send our soldiers off to foreign lands on the premise that in doing so will make people's lives better. We give up certain liberties as the individual "in order to form a more perfect union".
     Legality is another drawback. The invasion of certain privacies and the impedance of due process and investigations would all contribute to information leaks. These leaks could have the potential to alert a perpetraitor and make matters worse.
     Since "we" have the technology to save lives by finding people via global positioning, cell phone, wireless internet, rf-id tagging(passive and active), laser painting, digital space imaging and even "on-star". "We" should use all of the tools at "our" disposal.

Learn more about this author, Jeremy Robertsen.
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