Smart Cameras
Since the events of September 11th the governments in the United States and other countries have increased their surveillance of society. Meanwhile smart cameras are steadily becoming smarter and more usable. It is often difficult to estimate what impact new technology will have on society. What are the ethical issues that smart cameras bring about?
The technology behind smart cameras
The main difference between a smart camera and an ordinary one is that a smart camera analyzes what it sees, and makes certain decisions based upon the results of the analysis. An example is a smart security camera that calls the attention of the staff when it suspects a crime is committed.
How does this work?
The first step is to transform the signal from analog to digital, if the camera itself is not digital already. The data is then processed and based on the results certain actions are taken. The processing occurs in the camera itself, if required hardware for this is built in, or the data is sent to a computer.
Applications
There is a wide spectrum of applications, from different security systems for crime prevention and investigation to commercial and private use. For example, doors that open automatically have existed for a long time. To save energy, if a smart camera is used instead of a simple motion detector, the camera can choose to open the door if a person is approaching or leave it closed if a person is just walking by the door. One of the most sophisticated tools for smart cameras is a method called facial recognition.
Facial Recognition
Computerized facial recognition is an old idea conceived decades ago, but the use of it has accelerated since the 1990s, due to cheaper technology and...
... middle of paper ...
...ight © 1993, HarperCollins Publishers
http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/resources/general/ethicol/Ecv12no1.html
http://www.library.ca.gov./CRB/97/05/index.html
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,52563,00.html
http://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy/FaceRec_data.pdf
http://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy/CCTV_Feature.html
http://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy/drawing_blank.pdf
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,52563,00.html
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Terrorism_militias/fisa_faq.html
http://faceit.com/
http://www.privacy2000.org/
http://amsterdam.nettime.org/Lists-Archives/nettime-l-0111/msg00045.html
http://www.privacy.org/pi/conference/copenhagen/report.html
http://www.notisum.se/rnp/SLS/LAG/20000344.HTM
http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Amend.html
http://www.wespot.com/
http://whatis.techtarget.com/
Although they can be easily tracked, people overlook the invasion of privacy possibility because of the convenience they bring to every day life. Systems like OnStar installed in cars have made the tracking of stolen cars practically effortless. Similar tools are being used by law enforcement, Penenberg stated “cell phones have become the digital equivalent of Hansel and Gretel’s bread crumbs” (472). He then goes on to discuss how in Britain in 1996, authorities installed 300 cameras in East London. Although this didn’t affect the terrorism, it did affect the crime rate which fell 30 percent after the cameras were put into place. Penenberg closes his essay by mentioning that the surveillance is not only used to watch the citizens but also for citizens to keep an eye on the government. Through his organization, relevant information, and professional tone, Penenberg creates an effective
“With surveillance technology like closed-circuit television cameras and digital cameras now linked to the Internet, we now have the means to implement Bentham's inspection principle on a much vaster scale”(Singer) Bentham's inspection principle is a system that allows the collection, storing and dissemination of data on individuals, corporations, and the government. This collection of data has large implications in regard to privacy and security. “There is always danger that the information collected will be misused - whether by regimes seeking to silence opposition or by corporations seeking to profit from more detailed knowledge of their potential customers.”(Singer) What is done with the information collected is the main issue in terms of privacy. We do not want to be marketed to, or inundated with spam from third-party sources. We also do not want our private social circles and experiences to appear that they are being monetized or subjected to surveillance outside our control. In addition, surveillance has a large effect on the government that can beneficial or detrimental to democracy. Exposure of government secrets may make officials tread carefully when making decisions, ensuring that politicians are nothing but just and fair.“The crucial step in preventing a repressive government from
If misused, body-cameras can be a violation of privacy. In order to prevent this, proper legislation needs to be enacted in order to ensure privacy rights are protected. The only policy related document regarding police body cameras is the “Guidance for the use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement authorities” which is issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. This document discusses that rules should not be enforced only by local police departments, but for Canada as a whole. As this is the only document related to police body cameras, it is undoubtable that there needs to be serious legislation created. As it is suggested that body cameras pose as a risk for privacy rights, it is evident in order to implement them effectively, there needs to be regulation constructed. Body cameras can be an effective and useful tool, but without legislation, they can cause problems. Bruce Chapman, president of the Police Association of Ontario expresses, “We want to do it right. We don’t want to do it fast” when asked about the implementation of body cameras. While body cameras, are important to have in today's society, it is also dire to have it done properly. By enforcing strict guidelines, and documents addressing body camera legislation, it will ensure the process is done correctly. In order to implement body cameras properly, privacy rights need to be assessed. This process takes time, and proves body cameras need to be implemented at a pace legislation can follow. Thomas K. Bud, discusses the worry that privacy will be violated with body cameras. Factors such as facial recognition, citizen consent of recording, and violations of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms all pose as risks. While legislation has not matched their guidelines with modern technology, it proves how important it is to create new documents, in order for changes to be made. Therefore body
The twenty first century in the century of technology, where technology is heavily used in the people daily lives. One of the field where technology is being utilized in is monitoring people through cameras and phone calls. Although it might be interfering with people privacy, but it has its advantages that might outweigh the disadvantages. This essay will discuss both points of view, and try to decide which one is more reasonable than the other.
With today’s technological surveillance capabilities, our actions are observable, recordable and traceable. Surveillance is more intrusive than it has been in the past. For numerous years countries such as the United State and the United Kingdom have been actively monitoring their citizens through the use of surveillance technology. This state surveillance has been increasing with each passing year, consequently invading the citizen’s fundamental constitutional right to privacy,. This has lead to the ethical issues from the use or misuse of technology, one such ethical issue is should a government have the right to use technology to monitor its citizens without their knowledge or approval? For this reason this paper will examine what the terms ethics, ethical issue and state surveillance refer to. Next, an exploration into the ethics of governmental monitoring from the perspective of a variety of ethical systems such as: ethical formalism, act utilitarian, rule utilitarian and subjective relativism model. From this examination of state surveillance through ethical syste...
Throughout many years in the United States, there has been controversy over whether or not government surveillance and other technology is a violation of human rights. Ever since the publication of George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, there has been an increase in debates on the subject. The novel itself exemplifies what a surveillance-based society is like, providing the reader with a point of view of what could happen to their own society. Discussion over the usage of information that the government has gathered has become one of the foremost topics being analyzed to this day. The information that is being viewed by surveillance would otherwise be private, or information that people would not want to be leaked out. Therefore, surveillance executed by the government and companies has become an infringement to the right of privacy, and United States citizens should take actions upon it before the world reflects the Orwellian vision of the future.
Harris, T. (n.d.). How Red-light Cameras Work. HowStuffWorks "Auto". Retrieved September 20, 2013, from http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/red-light-camera1.htm
Biometrics is, “the automated use of physiological or behavioral characteristics to determine or verify identity (biometricgroup.com, 2014).”16 The purpose of the paper is to provide information about different forms of Biometrics. With the ever increasing threat of terrorism at home and abroad, biometrics is emerging as a way to increase security across the world. It is important to point out current issues dealing with Biometrics and how they relate to people that may one day have to use them.
The term biometrics is commonly known as the field of development of statistical and mathematical methods applicable to data analysis problems in the biological sciences. Though, even more recently it has taken on a whole new definition. Biometrics is an amazing new topic referring to “the emerging field of technology devoted to the identification of individuals using biological traits, based on retinal or iris scanning, fingerprints, or face recognition”. Biometrics has already begun using applications that range from attendance tracking with a time clock to security checkpoints with a large volume of people. The growing field of biometrics has really been put on the map by two things, the technological advances made within the last 20 years, and the growing risk of security and terrorism among people all over the world. In this paper I will focus on: the growing field of biometrics, why it is important to our future, how the United States government has played a role in its development and use, the risks involved, the implications on public privacy, and further recommendations received from all over the science and technology field.
By definition, “biometrics” (Woodward, Orlans, and Higgins, 2003) is the science of using biological properties to identify individuals; for example, fingerprints, retina scans, and voice recognition. We’ve all seen in the movies, how the heroes and the villains have used other’s fingerprints and voice patterns to get into the super, secret vault. While these ideas were fantasy many years ago, today biometrics are being used and you may not even know it.
In the modern day era, we find in society a ubiquitous usage of technology that seems to be never ending and forever growing. Included with this notion, the broad subject of surveillance is of course included. Contemporary surveillance, or more specifically technological surveillance, has been described as ambiguous; meaning that it is often misunderstood or open to different interpretations. The representation of surveillance within popular culture has played an impacting role on how we as a society perceive it and this raises certain questions that may reflect back on to society. The 1998 film Enemy Of The State directed by Tony Scott, Starring Will Smith, Gene Hackman and Jon Voight is considered to be a ‘spy-thriller’ blockbuster. Its central themes explore a range of surveillance techniques and equipment and also provides some insights, no matter how realistic or unrealistic they may be, into the real life security organisation; The National Security Agency (NSA). Using this film as an example and analysing how these themes are represented will hopefully allow us to key these ideas back to modern surveillance theories and practices.
The major drawback of using approaches based on 3D model is that, independent from what model (architecture) does they make Use of, their high computational load of fitting procedure i.e. from intensity image towards generic 3D model with an accurate method that may not degrade (lower) the results of recognition. Consequently, In Section 2.3 there is a discussion on a new 2D-3D structure of face recognition that can be predicted as the gap between pure 3D and pure 2D face recognition techniques.
In The New York Times newspaper, the author Kareem Fahim wrote an article called “Surveillance Will Expand To Midtown, Mayor Says,” back in 2009 the mayor of New York City Michael Bloom Berg reported that Homeland Security contributed $24 million to expand surveillance camera from Lower Manhattan to Midtown Manhattan. The new advanced technology cameras have capability to detect weapons through cameras. Therefore, the securities will be able to protect significant place located on that particular area such as Grand Central Terminal, Empire State Building and the United Nations. The police department can observe the public through a huge 40 foot screen videos maps. Moreover, the passage “surveillance cameras and the Times Square bombing” by William Saletan shows that surveillance cameras can’t eliminate crimes, but It able to reduce crimes. In May 1, 2010, a Pakistani/American citizen named Faisal Shahzad who set off car bomb in Times Square.
Basically security cameras are basically good and bad in all ways due to helping the public and bad for invading peoples privacy daily which would not surprise me that the government is also up to no good doing all of this but if it helps catches people who are hacking computers from other countries then oh well with that stuff. So in all ways they are good and bad for most public areas besides stores and high criminal activity area parking lots for the US otherwise crime will not stop for the people in the US and privacy will keep being invaded as long there is crime.
Invasion of Privacy As the great Bill Gates says “Historically, privacy was almost implicit, because it was hard to find and gather information. But in the digital world, whether it's digital cameras or satellites or just what you click on, we need to have more explicit rules - not just for governments, but for private companies.” From this, one could infer that the world we live in today is changing by the production of technology improvements. When it comes to technology, many citizens have concerns towards the privacy that they may or may not have when using such devices.