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Yes, it's one of those things where automation allows a difference of degree to rapidly become a difference of kind.
Obviously if I go out in public I have to be comfortable with the fact that somebody might recognise me. If I go to my local cafe they'll say "Hey, it's didntsayeeeeee" again, I bet he wants a cappuccino" and I'm okay with that.
But automate that procedure so that the supermarket's computers not only recognise my face, they've connected it to my name (via my credit card) and are also monitoring me as I walk around, seeing how long my eyes linger on each product on the shelves, so they can design ads specificially for me -- that's getting creepy.
On another hand, if you'd told me fifteen years ago that Google was not only going to read my email to optimise my search results (and ads, I suppose) but also to pop up little tags on google maps reminding me exactly what hotel I'd be staying in and when -- then I would have found that creepy. But now I just find it just plain useful.
Perhaps we all need to get used to the idea that we're being monitored by big impersonal data-mining algorithms and quit finding it creepy the same way we'd find it creepy if an actual person were paying attention to us. Ultimately I don't know, but this kind of thing is gonna happen and we need to either nip it in the bud or start accepting it.
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[–] [deleted] 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
[–] hyunlee 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago
I haven't heard of any movement towards a "no surveillance zone" happening whereas I'm seeing a huge movement with "cameras everywhere."
The thing is, I have surveillance at home for the sake of security. People naturally feel safer with these things.
Am I scared of third party companies watching me or collecting data on me? Of course. Everyone should be at this point.
[–] DanielKurlan 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago (edited ago)
This is exactly why the "well its private property they can do what they want" mentality is dangerous.
[–] didntsayeeeee 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Yes, it's one of those things where automation allows a difference of degree to rapidly become a difference of kind.
Obviously if I go out in public I have to be comfortable with the fact that somebody might recognise me. If I go to my local cafe they'll say "Hey, it's didntsayeeeeee" again, I bet he wants a cappuccino" and I'm okay with that.
But automate that procedure so that the supermarket's computers not only recognise my face, they've connected it to my name (via my credit card) and are also monitoring me as I walk around, seeing how long my eyes linger on each product on the shelves, so they can design ads specificially for me -- that's getting creepy.
On another hand, if you'd told me fifteen years ago that Google was not only going to read my email to optimise my search results (and ads, I suppose) but also to pop up little tags on google maps reminding me exactly what hotel I'd be staying in and when -- then I would have found that creepy. But now I just find it just plain useful.
Perhaps we all need to get used to the idea that we're being monitored by big impersonal data-mining algorithms and quit finding it creepy the same way we'd find it creepy if an actual person were paying attention to us. Ultimately I don't know, but this kind of thing is gonna happen and we need to either nip it in the bud or start accepting it.