Let us discuss privacy today – privacy as we know it could soon be history, if it isn’t already. It is about a report by New York Times, which revealed a highly questionable application and how it works. This application masters facial recognition like no other. It accesses a database of over three billion entries and compares people specifically. It is said to have a hit rate of over 75 percent. But who uses this app? Is it legal and where does this application with such a gigantic database come from?
Social networks make it possible
The facial recognition software in question is called "Clearview AI" and can scan people on the street and then identify them. What was once only suspected or shown in films really exists. According to a New York Times report, several hundred law enforcement agencies – including the FBI – are already using this mobile software. The database contains around three billion images of people around the globe. But where do these recordings come from? The answer – social networks. According to the report, "Clearview AI" can access Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms and feed them the images there. Access is only possible to public profiles. This means that profiles that are listed as private are not affected so far. The entries also contain the corresponding links to the accounts and other personal data. If "Clearview AI" finds a match, the investigators receive a comprehensive summary about the target person.
“Clearview AI” is not yet publicly available
Currently, the app is only used by law enforcement agencies. But that could soon change. Both investors and police officers believe that "Clearview AI" will eventually be publicly available. This would make it possible for a stranger to pull out a phone from their pocket, take a picture of someone, and then compare it with the database to obtain all the necessary information. Crazy, right? According to law enforcement agencies, the app is being used to solve crimes ranging from shoplifting to child sexual exploitation to murder. But who can guarantee that the application won't be misused for other purposes—such as stalking?
Who is behind “Clearview AI” and what Facebook says about it
But who is actually behind this extremely advanced technology? This was also unknown until a few days ago. Times journalist Kashmir Hill writes that the company founder and Clearview inventor is a 31-year-old Australian who moved to the USA. He always managed to stay under the radar. Ton-That, as it was called, developed the application with his business partner Richard Schwartz, a former employee of Donald Trump's current lawyer. But there is also a prominent investor. Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel is said to have invested around 200,000 US dollars in this project. And what does Facebook say about this? The social media giant wants to take appropriate measures - after all, tapping into image material would violate the general terms of use. The piquant thing about this, however, is the fact that Mr. Thiel sits on Facebook's board of directors - exactly my kind of humor.
Prototype version of the app for AR glasses confirmed
Of course, the New York Times did not miss the opportunity to ask Clearview directly. Ton-That commented on the allegation as follows: “Many people do this. Facebook knows about it.”But that's not all. In a further conversation with the Times, Ton-That revealed a new version of this app. He said it's compatible with augmented reality glasses. The advantage of this version is real-time identification. At the same time, however, he assured that this version of "Clearview AI" is not intended for sale. Whether that will still be the case in a few years remains to be seen.
Databases used to compare profiles are nothing new. But in this case, "Clearview AI" goes beyond all imagination – with over three billion entries, that's definitely frightening. How this will evolve and what it means for our privacy remains to be seen – but a redefinition of privacy cannot be ruled out. (Photo by ra2studio / Bigstockphoto)
