NSA Humor

From Doghouse Diaries via Failblog.

Thinking Through Surveillance Capabilities

I posted something similar to this on Facebook last night:

Here's a thought to keep you up at night. Everyone's been really upset about the whole Edward Snowden thing, and rightfully so; but think about this for a moment. CCTV/surveillance cameras are everywhere - moreso in the United Kingdom than the United States, but the United States is starting to expand CCTV coverage as well. Think back to the last time you uploaded a bunch of pictures to Facebook. Do you remember how Facebook knew EXACTLY who most of your friends were from facial recognition software? In fact, I recently uploaded a picture of myself and someone whom I had never uploaded a picture of, whom I'd only been friends with for a matter of days, and Facebook tagged her automatically, it didn't even ask me. Let's continue down this particular rabbit hole...

Now, think about how the only difference between a picture and a video is that a video is a lot of pictures displayed in sequence

Now, consider that the only limitation on applying Facebook-style facial recognition software to those videos is computing power.

Now, consider how much more accurate and powerful the software that governments use must be than what Facebook's using.

Now, remember that earlier point about how many CCTV/security cameras you walk past on a daily basis.

Now, ask yourself how similar the voice recognition capabilities must be.

I thought this through in a matter of about sixty seconds while walking from the bus to my room, and as I continue thinking, it really does feel like the days of Big Brother are upon us. Now, consider how glad you are that it was the accountable democratic model that won the Cold War, and not the authoritarian system that the democratic states were fighting.

One of my buddies claimed that a simple head tilt of fifteen degrees is enough to throw off the facial recognition software, but I'm skeptical. Another buddy posted this link, which I found to be enlightening; I've read 1984, but not Brave New World. Based upon the comic, I tend to think that aspects of both visions were prescient. (The concept is also reminiscent of several scenes in the 2002 film Minority Report.)

Be that as it may, as a security professional, I understand the need for programs and technical capabilities to try to keep people safe. There are certainly questions about scope, accountability, a citizen's right to and expectation of privacy, and mission creep. One of the benefits of the Western system is that we're able to actually ask these questions, and hold elected officials responsible when bounds are overstepped. I certainly don't think that this makes Edward Snowden a "hero" or a "whistleblower" - I think he's a traitor, and I hope that he faces justice sooner rather than later. Nor do I take much issue with legislation such as the PATRIOT Act. These programs are necessary, both from a public safety standpoint and from an overall risk management - as opposed to risk avoidance or acceptance - standpoint. What's important is that American voters continually ask these questions of their legislators and discuss the economic, political, and social ramifications of these programs in order to ensure that they serve their necessary function without being abused.