Key Takeaways
- Facial recognition technology has become a widespread reality, particularly in China, where it is used to monitor and control citizens.
- American companies have played a significant role in designing and building surveillance systems in China, enabling human rights abuses.
- The use of facial recognition technology has raised concerns about privacy and state control, with many individuals being tracked and monitored by vast networks of cameras.
- The United States has also expanded its surveillance powers, with the U.S. Border Patrol monitoring millions of American drivers nationwide.
- The use of infrared light beams is a key component of facial recognition technology, allowing cameras to pick out and recognize individual human beings.
Introduction to Facial Recognition Technology
When you unlock a phone, step into view of a security camera, or drive past a license plate reader at night, beams of infrared light – invisible to the naked eye – shine onto the unique contours of your face, your body, and your license plate lettering. These infrared beams allow cameras to pick out and recognize individual human beings, enabling facial recognition technology to function. Over the past decade, facial recognition technology has gone from science fiction fantasy to worldwide reality, with China being a prime example of its widespread adoption. With more security cameras than the rest of the world combined, China has become a hub for facial recognition technology, with its use being deeply ingrained in various aspects of daily life.
The Pervasiveness of Facial Recognition in China
In China, facial recognition technology is used in various settings, including airports, train stations, and streets. Passengers line up for face scans at gates and by officers, while cameras scan pedestrians and flag vehicles breaking traffic rules. Additionally, anyone registering new SIM cards in China must show themselves to a face-scanning camera, with the images stored in telecom databases. Until recently, Chinese authorities also required most guests to scan their faces when checking in to a hotel. For many, such technology has offered convenience and safety, seamlessly woven into the backdrop of their lives. However, for some, it has become an intrusive form of state control, with many individuals feeling like they are being constantly monitored and tracked.
The Role of American Companies in Enabling Surveillance
Associated Press investigations have found that surveillance systems in China were, to a large degree, designed and built by American companies. This has played a significant role in enabling human rights abuses, with the technology being used to control and monitor perceived threats to the state, such as dissidents, ethnic minorities, and even officials. Dozens of individuals, including Tibetan activists, ordinary farmers, and a former vice mayor, have spoken out about being tracked and monitored by vast networks of cameras that stud the country, hampering their movements and alerting the police to their activities. This has raised concerns about the ethics of American companies providing surveillance technology to authoritarian regimes, and the impact it has on human rights and individual freedoms.
The Expansion of Surveillance in the United States
For years, facial recognition technology faced legal barriers in the United States, where it was first developed. However, over the past five years, the U.S. Border Patrol has vastly expanded its surveillance powers, monitoring millions of American drivers nationwide in a secretive program to identify and detain people whose travel patterns it deems suspicious. Under the Trump administration, billions of dollars are being poured into a vast array of surveillance systems, including license plate readers across the U.S. that have ensnared innocent drivers for little more than taking a quick trip to areas near the border. This has raised concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the potential for abuse of surveillance powers.
The Use of Infrared Light Beams in Facial Recognition
The use of infrared light beams is a key component of facial recognition technology, allowing cameras to pick out and recognize individual human beings. In a series of photographs, an infrared filter was used on a modified camera to capture the full spectrum of light, including ultraviolet, visible, and infrared. The filter, which cuts out some visible light to better reveal infrared, is red by design in order to block certain light wavelengths. AP photographers on three continents snapped photos showing how these beams are used to track vehicles and people, enable facial recognition, and ultimately assert digital control. The use of infrared light beams has become a crucial aspect of facial recognition technology, enabling the widespread adoption of this technology in various settings.
Conclusion
The widespread adoption of facial recognition technology has raised significant concerns about privacy, state control, and human rights. The use of infrared light beams has enabled the development of this technology, which has been used to monitor and control citizens in China and other countries. The role of American companies in designing and building surveillance systems has also raised questions about the ethics of providing such technology to authoritarian regimes. As the use of facial recognition technology continues to expand, it is essential to consider the implications of this technology on individual freedoms and human rights, and to ensure that its use is transparent, accountable, and subject to robust safeguards.
