| Themes from this article: | | | | reduction in the time necessary to complete |
| | | | inconsequential tasks (moving paper around) |
| A digital image of a person's face, can be | | | | allows more effective use of the staff |
| matched against a database of other | | | | resources.However most law enforcement |
| images.The potential will exist to track the | | | | technologies, including standard CCTV |
| movements of everyone in a country.Automatic | | | | security cameras are only effective with the |
| face recognition is now becoming | | | | cooperation of the people, these systems are |
| practical.Face recognition systems in public | | | | often useless against those with criminal |
| places, is a matter for serious concen.The | | | | intent, and this technology does not generate |
| shock value of the horrific events on | | | | irrefutable evidence in adverse conditions, |
| September 11 could make many people opposed | | | | such as those that exist in many airports, |
| to excessive security much more tolerant of | | | | which would increase the risk of false |
| its implementation.Information is collected | | | | identifications. The problem is that false |
| and transferred without Knolouge or | | | | identification by a person does not involve |
| permission from the subjects.Abuse of face | | | | the implied reputation of technological |
| recognition may generate additional | | | | accuracy.Freedom of actions:Absolute freedom |
| crimes.The question is that of proportion, | | | | would require the absence of any controls, |
| there must be a balance between liberty and | | | | legal of otherwise, this would amount to |
| control. | | | | anarchy. Thus despite being free to do as we |
| | | | peace, we would, ironically, not have the |
| Points inferred indirectly: | | | | ability to act upon our pleasure, as our |
| | | | lives would be consumed with the nauseate of |
| And everywhere the ceremony of innocence is | | | | saying alive! This is in direct contrast with |
| drowned the best lack all conviction while | | | | what we are able to accomplish with in the |
| the worst are full of passionate | | | | restrictions of society, as a result of the |
| intensity.Technology is intrinsically | | | | opportunities such restriction |
| neutral, how it is used determines if it is a | | | | creates.Implications:The implications of |
| force for good or evil.The central principle | | | | expediency adopting such systems are numerous |
| of our culture should be that which makes | | | | fighting terrorism notwithstanding, there are |
| ours a free democratic society.One can | | | | many as yet unresolved questions as to the |
| extrapolate from historical events such as | | | | uses of a system designed to infringe upon |
| the unclear tests in 1947, that technologies | | | | the populous without the consent or knowledge |
| can not be dis-invented or confined to one | | | | of these people whose faces are captured. As |
| use.Data protection Act may apply, providing | | | | logs as there are successive gove |
| at least some basic rights, (no other | | | | |
| statutory right in English law to personal | | | | ments, that take control and change |
| privacy).Technology can make surveillance | | | | policies, the uses of such tools will also be |
| cheaper through automation a some | | | | continually changing.The problems arise when |
| processes.Freedom is only the perception of | | | | one considers the wider effects that unwanted |
| being autonomous.A society can only be | | | | surveillance may have, fore example democracy |
| considered free where the goverment forces do | | | | is in part based on the principle that groups |
| not have absolute power over the general | | | | can develop views in insolation from |
| populace.Democracy is in part based on the | | | | goverment.One can extrapolate from historical |
| principles that groups can develop views in | | | | events such as the development of Atomic |
| insolation from goverment. | | | | weapons, to save thousands on both sides by |
| | | | ending the second would war without invading |
| Summary:The main points made in an article: | | | | Japan The plans for which were stolen be the |
| | | | Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which |
| Security system impresses US officials, a | | | | started a sequence of events that untimely |
| special report on the terrorism crisis by | | | | ended in the current situation where several |
| Stuart Millar published in the Guardian on | | | | minor nation have the ability to start a |
| Tuesday September 25 are summarised as | | | | chain reaction that would literary destroy |
| follows:American authorities are committed to | | | | the world.Data protection laws:The American |
| deploying a relatively new combination of | | | | people have built into there laws safeguards |
| software and surveillance technologies in | | | | that could reasonable be used to help prevent |
| response to the attacks of September 11th as | | | | the uncontrolled spread of privative systems. |
| part of an airport security review.The system | | | | We in direct contrast have no rights built |
| under consideration, known as FaceIt, is | | | | rights to protect the privacy of information |
| designed to identify known suspects, through | | | | apart from those set into the data protection |
| comparison of a person's face against a | | | | legislation which maybe a futile gesture as |
| database of facial images, it does not | | | | there are get out glasses for anything evan |
| require the cooperation of the subject, and | | | | remotely related to law enforcement.Innocent |
| may not even generate irrefutable evidence in | | | | Majority:Should this severance technology be |
| adverse conditions, such as those that exist | | | | implemented anywhere, the unique situation |
| in many airports, which would increase the | | | | will be created where information will be |
| risk of false identifications.This | | | | collected and processed without the |
| development is being driven by political | | | | individual's knowledge and will be used |
| interests and could be implemented on mass, | | | | without the individual having consent. The |
| to form an equivalent to the British ring of | | | | Data protection Act may apply, providing at |
| steel, supposedly for our safety and | | | | least some basic rights, (no other statutory |
| protection to help law enforcement track | | | | right in English law to personal privacy |
| known subjects. But once in place it's use | | | | exists).Ethical Dilemmas:In a stable society |
| will invariably be extended over time to | | | | the freedom of the individual can not be |
| infringe upon the populous without our | | | | absolute, there must be a balance between |
| consent or knowledge.The question is that of | | | | liberty and control. It is conceivable that |
| proportion there must be a balance between | | | | there would be no civilised society without a |
| liberty and control. It should be noted that | | | | govement able to curtail liberty to a |
| the current increase in the number of youths | | | | reasonable degree. The question is that of |
| waring hoods is possibly a direct result of | | | | proportion technology can be use as a tool |
| the introduction of CCTV systems.Abstract:The | | | | for control, however over use of such |
| populace of an informed society would | | | | technologies implies oppression.Any |
| generally resist even the proposal of any | | | | technology can effect a society in |
| potentially repressive technology such as the | | | | significant ways. Fore example increasingly |
| FaceIt facial recognition system, with the | | | | travail bits of data are collected, |
| capacity to indiscriminately report on the | | | | transferred precessed and used without the |
| movements of any subject, especially when | | | | individual's knowledge, this is a situation |
| these technological developments are being | | | | in which people can be completely manipulated |
| driven by political interests.However such | | | | by technology and it has long been the case |
| fears are currently being circumvented by the | | | | that legal decisions lag behind technical |
| stronger feelings of national insecurity, | | | | developments.Conclusions:There is an old |
| which are also causing fundamental | | | | Buddhist proverb that states "To every man is |
| adjustments in political reasoning of the | | | | given the key to the gates of heaven; the |
| United States authorities whom are by | | | | same key opens the gates of hell". Words of |
| implication encouraging development of | | | | wisdom and of waing as within computerisation |
| technologies previously believed to be | | | | lies such a key.The implication is that |
| technically and socially unjustifiable.The | | | | nearly everything has some kind of cost to |
| United States goverment:Is committed to | | | | it, new technologies are not created |
| deploying a derivation of traditional | | | | instantaneously, so the consequences of such |
| surveillance technology, in response to a | | | | new systems are also not instantaneously |
| review of airport security in lite of the | | | | realised, if we choose to ignore certain |
| attacks of September 11th, as a measure to | | | | circumstances in fever of expedient action, |
| help prevent simular incidents in the future. | | | | in the end, the full implications will be |
| This may be a futile gesture as they are | | | | realised, unfortunately too late.As implied |
| looking at technology to identify known | | | | above, the events of September 11th are |
| suspects, the problem is that this is not | | | | important, these events have almost certainly |
| very useful as it is the unknown terrorists | | | | changed things forever. The question is that |
| that the authorities need to be conce | | | | of proportion, this is what will determine |
| | | | whether the have won or not. Especially when |
| ed about.Technology:This is a relatively new | | | | these systems are idolised and become more |
| combination of software and surveillance | | | | important then the humans that they exist to |
| technologies, the basic components of the | | | | serve, we know from history that this |
| FaceIt system under consideration have been | | | | sequence of events inevitably fall back upon |
| about for years, the system is designed to | | | | and destroy its makers in the end. Such |
| identify known people in public, this could | | | | subject have as yet been sadly lacking in our |
| be implemented to form an equivalent to the | | | | studies thus.Technology is intrinsically |
| British ring of steel and notwithstanding a | | | | neutral, how it is used determines if it is a |
| highly unlikely series of events resulting in | | | | force for good or evil, if a technology |
| absolute control of this type of technology, | | | | offers savings to one segment of society, |
| invariably it will find other uses. For | | | | some cost may be exacted ageist another. The |
| example, marketing research is frequently | | | | Bible will teach us that we are to count the |
| carried out via the use of surveys. It would | | | | !cost of our commitments. Is there a price |
| be a trivial matter to use such a powerful | | | | tag for your soul? Jesus asks the most |
| security system to generate statistical data | | | | profound question "What does it profit a man |
| for analysing consumer trends.This technology | | | | if he gains the whole world but loses his own |
| may be able to capture and analyse an image | | | | soul in hell forever" Jesus is asking if we |
| of your face, identify you from a see of | | | | have really thought about costs; spiritual |
| people, read your face and even infer things | | | | and material. (Jesus said, Matthew 16:26).As |
| from your body language, but the context | | | | long as we can justify the cost in terms of |
| outside the view of the cameras and the | | | | how it allows us it feel safer, then we are |
| essence of the moment will be lost | | | | free because we believe the gove |
| forever.Effectiveness:The efficiency of any | | | | |
| technology is a function of firstly its | | | | ment is curtailing our liberty to allow a |
| inherent advantages over traditional methods | | | | better quality of life. However, if as a |
| and secondly whether its use would solve more | | | | society we accept invasive methods of |
| problems than it would create.Automation of | | | | protection then we surrender a little more |
| surveillance operations may reduce part of | | | | freedom to choose how to five as we see fit |
| the administration required, through | | | | and not as other would dictate. This includes |
| effective communications and more centralised | | | | the right to life without others watching our |
| control, than is possible with human | | | | every move. |
| surveillance. The implication being that | | | | |