Technology Impact Cycle Tool

We talked about the importance of privacy and data protection. One of the main drivers is that digital technology makes it more and more easy to collect data. Let's look at a prominent example.

Facial recognition

In crash course two (section 3) we talked about surveillance capitalists trying to widen and deepen their data collection. In the old days (like yesterday), you may have had a choice. You could choose not to be on social media, not to buy things online, not to use a smartphone, not to have a smart speaker in your house. And even these choices became harder and harder, because more and more services are unavailable for people that refuse to 'share' their data.

Today, choices often are no longer there. You really need to do things digitally or even worse: your data is collected without permission. For example, when you are walking down the street. The most creepy example (for now) is facial recognition.

Please watch the video below.

Facial recognition is an important example of the importance of privacy and data protection.

It is your face, but it is also just data which can be translated by a computer in a simple: that is you! Even if you do not want to be recognised. Facial recognition is just a first step into an even more dystopian future.

There are already companies that claim that they can read emotions in a facial expression. Some companies read the micro expressions of applicants for a job to determine if they are the right candidate. Of course, these micro expressions are read by a computer and interpreted by an algorithm. Of course, it is scientifically often a bunch of crap, but so is the lie detector as most psychologists think.

And lie detectors are still around. 

So, chances are that in the future a computer will decide if you get a job or not. And it will not explain why. And it will not be fair. We will talk more about this in later crash courses (five and six).

Anal Print Recognition

In the future your smart toilet will be your first line of defense against diseases. Your toilet will analyse your stool. If you have medical issues the smart toilet will detect them in an early stage, increasing your chances of a swift recovery. However, it is, of course, important that the toilet is absolutely sure that it is your stool. This can be done by fingerprint recognition, but where is the fun in that? Your anus after all, is like a snowflake, no two are alike, so why not use anal print recognition?

Sounds like a joke, but if you go to section with the additional materials you will find the article on anal print recognition in Nature magazine. 

And it will make you think about things like your anus being data and having privacy!

Take aways from section three

• (Almost) everything is data / information even your face;
• Your face can be translated in data and recognised even if you do not want to;
• This all makes the discussion on privacy all the more important.