Lynday, they had a story on Survelliance cameras on Today

[Brichard]

I was working out this morning on the treadmill and watching the Today Show. They were talking about Surveillance cameras and how scenes of the movie 1984 were dancing in people's minds. They mentioned that Britain by far had the most cameras and they were increasing all the time. Sooo... naturally I thought of you and your topic! I couldn't find a link on the Today site, but I'm looking!

:)

[Lynda/WA]

Thanks, Brichard! My understanding is that currently Britian's cameras are passive. They record and that's it unless someone physically goes in to view it. I find it ironic that they would have the most cameras yet have had such an explosion in crime! (would have to look up the actual stats thats from memory) I get the impression that while other countries started using cameras to tape people, the use is the first to use cameras in conjunction with computers to identify people, their actions, and create data banks.

I also just read another article about this in the US. It was in my local paper. quote [Face recognition is being marketed to private businesses to provide *customized service*. That means that many people with no criminal record could soon find their faceprints included in vast private data banks that are vulnerable to misuse, simply as the result of using a credit card at one of those businesses. As data banks of faceprints expand, a growing number of private entities will be able to track the movements of ever more Americans.

Under current laws, ther is little to stop this information from being sold to market research companies, private detectives representing possible vindictive ex-spouses or anybody else who can pay the right price - regardless of the motive] end quote

This all falls in with what I know of *data mining*. One of the reasons stores have gone with their own cards is so the can keep records of what is purchased. When it's purchased. What it's purchased with. That way the stores can set things up to increase spending. For example, if they know that 50% of people that buy sunscreen also buy a hat they can display the two together. Maybe now 75% of people will buy both. That's for both the discount cards and the credit cards. Look at Amazon.com and you can see that in action. If you look up a book they also tell you what other people that bought that book also bought. And if you return that book they will give you suggestions based on what you looked at when you previously visited. And they will even give you a star rating of how they think you will like that book based on what you have previously viewed and boughten. With face recognition they can see what you *view* in person.

And during a divorce the spouse can use that all against you. I know there have been times one of the kids has wandered out of sight while I'm shopping. The right lawyer could make any of us look like an bad parent just based on store video. And since DH doesn't take them to the store he'd look like the good guy!

There was also mention of a pentagon program - 50 million dollars for *Human ID at a Distance*. Face recognition is a big part of that program. It almost sounds like using satellites to track people? I found that interesting with the military spending thread and mention of *warlords* in the pentagon having a large degree of power. To bad they weren't *tracking* Conduit! Then we'd know if he did it!

[angie r]

Now the bad guys will just have to start cloning themselves so they can blame it on someone else. ;)

[Lynda/WA]

Angie - too funny! Either that or get a good plastic surgeon! Wasn't that the plot in Face-Off?