I agree that this is an awful technology, if implemented, but could it be that the patent actually works in favor of freedom? The fact that this kind of techno

I agree that this is an awful technology, if implemented, but could it be that the patent actually works in favor of freedom? The fact that this kind of technology "could" be created has nothing to do with whether or not there is a patent. This always could have bene done. Having someone (like Apple) who might respond to social pressure own the patent could be better than a company who has less interest in it's image. Their ownership of the patent could prevent other companies less likely to care about their image from developing this technology because it's already patented by a famously litigious company that protects it's patent library.