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Computer-vision research powers surveillance technology
AI research on computer vision is almost always used in ways that enable surveillance, according to a new Nature study.
Computer vision is what allows driverless cars to navigate, automatic tagging of people’s faces on social media, and the detection of cancerous cells, but many people have argued it could also power mass surveillance. The new study trawled through over 40,000 documents to discover that the vast majority of research in computer vision powers surveillance.
Such technology could be used to secure borders and catch criminals, but researchers are concerned that this could impact democratic freedoms by allowing easy identification and tracking of people. The study could help empower those who want to protect people from being surveilled, by highlighting how this research is being conducted and used.
