As interesting as this is (and while the system certainly had positive benefits in this situation), I can't help but wonder about the implications here. We already live in a word where we're...
As interesting as this is (and while the system certainly had positive benefits in this situation), I can't help but wonder about the implications here. We already live in a word where we're tracked all the time – often without our knowledge – but the implementation of smarter and more-efficient mechanics seems to be outstripping our ability to fully comprehend what that means. Sure, we all appreciate it when criminals get captured and crimes get stopped before they can be enacted, but at present, there isn't anything keeping malicious entities from using the same systems for their own means.
What's truly frightening to me is how this data is going to be stored probably indefinitely. Any future administration will inherit control of it. Even if we trust the current government there's...
What's truly frightening to me is how this data is going to be stored probably indefinitely. Any future administration will inherit control of it. Even if we trust the current government there's no guarantee any future government won't be evil.
You probably missed it, but recently @deimos posted a talk about this called Haunted By Data which I think does a great job of illustrating the danger this info can pose.
The concept of "identity ownership" is a really interesting one. We take it as a given that we retain control of our individual existences, but that has proven to be a flawed concept in modern...
The concept of "identity ownership" is a really interesting one.
We take it as a given that we retain control of our individual existences, but that has proven to be a flawed concept in modern society. I'm reminded of the folks who had chunks of their DNA patented by various companies, for instance, and now we're entering an era wherein our very faces are being kept on file. It doesn't take much of a stretch to envision a day (in the not-too-distant future) when the specific act of registering one's appearance is seen as a mundane occurrence. Hell, we're already practically at that point now: Personal identification cards always include images of people's faces, and while most folks view those elements as being required for in-person interactions (like presenting a driver's license to a bouncer), all of the photographs are already stored on a server somewhere.
The question, I suppose, is how much control we really have over that. Do we really "own" our faces?
If we do own our faces, then systems like the ones used to capture criminals trend into dangerous territory, as they constitute use of property without explicit permission. If we do not own our faces, though, then presumably they can be used by any entity with access to them. A candid photograph could be included in an advertising campaign, for example, and a person's likeness could be employed in any variety of media without compensation. That's not even mentioning the "evil government" issue that you raised, which could see unscrupulous or corrupt entities silencing dissenting parties by finding (or even manufacturing) crimes that they allegedly committed, then using facial databases to track down the so-called perpetrators.
Minority Report may wind up being a very ironic documentary.
P.S. Thank you! When I first heard about Tildes, I was incredibly excited by the prospect of joining a community with a focus on intellectual discourse and congenial interactions. One issue I've had with Reddit is the fact that writing well is often viewed as a mark of pretension, and attempts at helping others write well are frequently met with derision and hostility. I've long been of the belief that one should always communicate to the very best of their ability, and it seems like Tildes' mission statement is in line with that concept.
As interesting as this is (and while the system certainly had positive benefits in this situation), I can't help but wonder about the implications here. We already live in a word where we're tracked all the time – often without our knowledge – but the implementation of smarter and more-efficient mechanics seems to be outstripping our ability to fully comprehend what that means. Sure, we all appreciate it when criminals get captured and crimes get stopped before they can be enacted, but at present, there isn't anything keeping malicious entities from using the same systems for their own means.
What's truly frightening to me is how this data is going to be stored probably indefinitely. Any future administration will inherit control of it. Even if we trust the current government there's no guarantee any future government won't be evil.
You probably missed it, but recently @deimos posted a talk about this called Haunted By Data which I think does a great job of illustrating the danger this info can pose.
PS: Nice to see you here!
The concept of "identity ownership" is a really interesting one.
We take it as a given that we retain control of our individual existences, but that has proven to be a flawed concept in modern society. I'm reminded of the folks who had chunks of their DNA patented by various companies, for instance, and now we're entering an era wherein our very faces are being kept on file. It doesn't take much of a stretch to envision a day (in the not-too-distant future) when the specific act of registering one's appearance is seen as a mundane occurrence. Hell, we're already practically at that point now: Personal identification cards always include images of people's faces, and while most folks view those elements as being required for in-person interactions (like presenting a driver's license to a bouncer), all of the photographs are already stored on a server somewhere.
The question, I suppose, is how much control we really have over that. Do we really "own" our faces?
If we do own our faces, then systems like the ones used to capture criminals trend into dangerous territory, as they constitute use of property without explicit permission. If we do not own our faces, though, then presumably they can be used by any entity with access to them. A candid photograph could be included in an advertising campaign, for example, and a person's likeness could be employed in any variety of media without compensation. That's not even mentioning the "evil government" issue that you raised, which could see unscrupulous or corrupt entities silencing dissenting parties by finding (or even manufacturing) crimes that they allegedly committed, then using facial databases to track down the so-called perpetrators.
Minority Report may wind up being a very ironic documentary.
P.S. Thank you! When I first heard about Tildes, I was incredibly excited by the prospect of joining a community with a focus on intellectual discourse and congenial interactions. One issue I've had with Reddit is the fact that writing well is often viewed as a mark of pretension, and attempts at helping others write well are frequently met with derision and hostility. I've long been of the belief that one should always communicate to the very best of their ability, and it seems like Tildes' mission statement is in line with that concept.