Although computer reliability is not the main topic of the movie What Happened to Monday?, there are a few examples where systems have failed. Our textbook states, “Computers are part of larger systems, and ultimately it is the reliability of the entire system that is important” [1]. We see the system in the movie fail early on when Monday is able to surpass the government set checkpoint with the duplicated government issued bracelet. Her grandfather, Terrence Settman, was able to duplicate these bracelets to such a degree that when they are scanned, they show the same display each time. Some part of the system failed to verify that Karen Settman was actually seven different people. Another example where we see the system fail is the
A second time the system the fails is when the sisters are able to hack into the C.A.B. headquarters and their server system. Saturday is able to use a coupling device which is part of the bracelet to sync her bracelet to Adrian’s bracelet in order to gain employee access to the C.A.B. headquarters. Through this access, the sisters are able to view the camera feed of the bureau’s holding cells leading them to see Monday being held against her will. This is a system fail in terms of allowing everyone (including non-bureau employees) to have a coupling device inside their bracelets.
A third time the system fails is an odd type of failure, yet has significant consequences. In this movie, the government-issued bracelet is the key to survival in the dystopian world that is portrayed. The bracelet is used as an identity verification, needed for employment, need to open a bank account, as well as navigate through the city. If this device is lost or stolen, the consequences are detrimental. Without this bracelet, the proof of one’s existence is wiped away and the license to exist in the literal sense is gone.
These are all examples of system fails, but each are a little different. It seems as if the bracelets were made exactly the same which is a system fail in itself since a user has access to the same features as a CAB employee does. This allows for manipulation of the device as well as making it easier bypass certain credentials. Referencing the quote mentioned in the first paragraph, the larger system in the movie is the CAB server system which is manipulated numerous times by the sisters. The reliability of system fails since the seven sisters are able to hack the system to retrieve data such as the video feed as well as insert data such as broadcasting the video of the child being incinerated inside the headquarters.
References:
[1] Quinn, Michael J. Ethics for the Information Age. Pearson, 2020.
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