What!? Its August. Ouch.
In honour of the new month, this week’s newsletter kicks off with some propaganda. I’ve co-authored a paper on the chilling effects of surveillance, which is part of a bigger project intended to uncover the impact of digital surveillance and digital data collection. Its free to access, and totally worth your time.
There’s an interesting Time story on the workers who help train AI models. It could be a bit more critical, particularly of the idea that this is somehow philanthropic (?! – they’re working!). But its interesting nonetheless.
Also a good Observer piece on UK plans to expand the use of facial recognition in commercial properties. Its part of a worrying trend to push out this tech, without any real discussion, or eh, examination of the potential human rights impacts… Not to mention the idea that certain people are in effect being prevented from accessing shops (or shopping centres) purely on the basis of some sort of suspicion. And, in related news, South Wales Police (the subject of the Bridges Court of Appeal case, which held their use of facial recognition to be unlawful, but to no great effect) have set out their case for using facial recognition.
Today’s song is the Queen of Denmark. Its quite good.
Also, i was off yesterday (hence no newsletter) and watched Everybody Loves Jeanne. Its excellent. Charmant.
Be well.
TIME, The Workers Behind AI Rarely See Its Rewards. This Indian Startup Wants to Fix That
DefenseOne, Can AI diagnose brain trauma? The military wants to know
Observer, Home Office secretly backs facial recognition technology to curb shoplifting
The Guardian, ‘We’ll just keep an eye on her’: Inside Britain’s retail centres where facial recognition cameras now spy on shoplifters
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Researchers find that aspects of Facebook’s design contribute to ideological segregation
Open Rights Group, South Wales Police state their case for using facial recognition | Open Rights Group
The Guardian, ‘If I left, I’d have to go without a word’: how I escaped China’s mass arrests | Uyghurs
The Register, Hikvision, Nvidia named in contract for ‘Uyghur detection’
The Washington Post, A key Senate panel has big plans on tech for the fall
The Washington Post, California to probe what happens to the data your car collects
WIRED, What Isaac Asimov’s Robbie Teaches About AI and How Minds ‘Work’
WIRED, More Battlefield AI Will Make the Fog of War More Deadly
Blogs:
ICRC, Understanding digital risks in armed conflict