Facial Recognition, location history and browser tracking. These are all tools to follow the movements of people. Yes, these categories do offer other benefits for many reasons but the real money shot from them all is monitoring.
Not only monitoring but unwanted un-asked for monitoring on a global scale. The way things have been going over the last ten years you may think this is a done deal.
2019 is here and 5G is around the corner. GDPR is running full swing now and companies like Facebook are being asked to pay fines based on their previous stolen data records.
On top of this, a number of other news worthy events have caught our eye. For those out there who value their privacy, the following should be spirit-lift worthy.
Location of cellphone
Possibly setting a precedent, a Massachusetts court ruled that police access to a citizens cellphone location in real-time is an invasion of privacy. Due to this. police in Massachusetts must now gain a warrant in order to find the location of a cell. This applies if they require historical data or location history; both need a warrant.
Facial Recognition
San Francisco may soon ban facial recognition technologies. The call for a debate on surveillance tech now moves toward crescendo. As explained in the motion for debate, the tech covered will be as follows:
Any software, electronic device, system utilizing an electronic device, or similar device used, designed, or primarily intended to collect, retain, process, or share audio, electronic, visual, location, thermal, biometric, olfactory or similar information specifically associated with, or capable of being associated with, any individual or group.
What it outlines is that facial recognition tech is not even in the same ballpark:
The propensity for facial recognition technology to endanger civil rights and civil liberties substantially outweighs its purported benefits,
Amazons Rekognition project may find the road ahead a little rough as people begin to use their voices over this creeping Orwellian surveillance system.
NSA Phone Tapping
The U.S.A.’s National Security Agency have recommended the White House abandon the surveillance system.
The system was setup during the Bush era shortly after 911 and collects information on phone calls and messages.
According to officials it is turning into a logistical nightmare and is more headache than help. Leaked by Edward Snowden, knowledge of the system is now widespread.
Maybe, the only reason this has been requested is due to funds not being available for it any longer? And of course, the G word (GDPR).