Clearview Attempted To Buy Social Security Numbers and Mugshots for its Database (404media.co) 24
Controversial facial recognition company Clearview AI attempted to purchase hundreds of millions of arrest records including social security numbers, mugshots, and even email addresses to incorporate into its product, 404 Media reports. From the report: For years, Clearview AI has collected billions of photos from social media websites including Facebook, LinkedIn and others and sold access to its facial recognition tool to law enforcement. The collection and sale of user-generated photos by a private surveillance company to police without that person's knowledge or consent sparked international outcry when it was first revealed by the New York Times in 2020.
New documents obtained by 404 Media reveal that Clearview AI spent nearly a million dollars in a bid to purchase "690 million arrest records and 390 million arrest photos" from all 50 states from an intelligence firm. The contract further describes the records as including current and former home addresses, dates of birth, arrest photos, social security and cell phone numbers, and email addresses. Clearview attempted to purchase this data from Investigative Consultant, Inc. (ICI) which billed itself as an intelligence company with access to tens of thousands of databases and the ability to create unique data streams for its clients. The contract was signed in mid-2019, at a time when Clearview AI was quietly collecting billions of photos off the internet and was relatively unknown at the time.
New documents obtained by 404 Media reveal that Clearview AI spent nearly a million dollars in a bid to purchase "690 million arrest records and 390 million arrest photos" from all 50 states from an intelligence firm. The contract further describes the records as including current and former home addresses, dates of birth, arrest photos, social security and cell phone numbers, and email addresses. Clearview attempted to purchase this data from Investigative Consultant, Inc. (ICI) which billed itself as an intelligence company with access to tens of thousands of databases and the ability to create unique data streams for its clients. The contract was signed in mid-2019, at a time when Clearview AI was quietly collecting billions of photos off the internet and was relatively unknown at the time.
Do it (Score:2)
Re:Do it (Score:5, Insightful)
And get sued into oblivion.
Wait, you still assume that bullshit is some kind of valid threat? Take a closer look at the average “punishment” when Greed N. Corruption is caught. Then realize why Greed will do it again. Every damn time.
Litigation, is a fucking business expense category now. Reduced and justified as nothing more than a cost of “doing” business today, driven by the complete lack of criminal punishment.
Re: (Score:3)
Because once you've done your time or paid your fine you're supposed to be a free man again. Lifetime punishments, which this would be, are supposed to be reserved for the really horrible crimes.
Re:... Leading to Public Criminal Records (Score:4, Insightful)
Megan's List (Where having one too many drinks at the bar means you get treated as a pedo for life.)
Social Credit Scores (Oh my bad, the USA calls them "Credit Agencies"),
Multiple databases of accusations (can't risk forgetting assertions made by cops without evidence now can we?),
Ex-cons (Why would we call them citizens? Once a con always a con.),
Backwards beliefs of "criminal genetics" (pure racism and self-fulfilling prophesies),
No focus on rehabilitation (gotta keep those private prisons full!),
Denying work to non-violent offenders, (Wouldn't want those criminals having any standard of living....)
People like the GP who think the guilty should never be allowed to move on with their lives (just in case they re-offend, better spread the word about what they did 30 years ago as if they did it yesterday, and ignore their spotless record for the past 3 decades!),
Etc.
Lifetime imprisonment is the Standard Punishment for the USA. The only real distinction between incarnation and "freedom" after a conviction is where you sleep at night. (And sometimes the conviction is optional.) Public Criminal Records would just make it more explicit.
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I can see the colour of what your saying and that colour is Orange.
The Don appears immune to shame, popularity is his power and he fears not being popular with his mob. I would be too. Most of the mob appear to be the disappointed .... with guns. If they are disappointed now, in four years when they are even further behind, I expect they'll be murderous and seditious. Trump's not going to be able to blame the government, he is the government.
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Megan's List (Where having one too many drinks at the bar means you get treated as a pedo for life.)
Call me a sceptic, I am guessing that's more about what some people do after a few drinks, rather than just being drunk.
Ex-cons (Why would we call them citizens? Once a con always a con.),
Meh. Labels. I think we can be ex-cons and citizens, they are not mutually exclusive.
Backwards beliefs of "criminal genetics" (pure racism and self-fulfilling prophesies),
Yup I don't think its genetics either. Gene's play a part but they don't dictate action. Nature v nurture. How were you raised? If you are the first son of the mafia boss you've got some clear career options. Psychology, if you are an independent, disagreeable type with a trauma or two or a bad psycho, cri
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That's fair on the ex-con. What about the rest of us? Most likely predictor of your future behaviour is your past behaviour. Sounds useful , for example, if a woman knows they are dating a serial rapist.
I guess this is part of the hope an ex-con will rehabilitate, a process that continues after time and or the fine in society.
Aside the bad rap, criminals have some useful skills and knowledge. Employing a burglar to guard secure your property, a hacker to secure to your system. Organised crime bosses look li
Re: ... Leading to Public Criminal Records (Score:2)
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Of course. What made you think I didn't?
I would add sin and "breaking the law" are different in my mind. Law comes from a secular state that protects it's people, all faiths and cultures that respect and abide by the law. Sin is in the realm of the heart and your conscience.
What about Investigate Consultants? (Score:4, Insightful)
Stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
They can get them for free simply by calling DOGE.
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They can get them for free simply by calling DOGE.
Or the many people who have hacked DOGE and are selling it cheaper.
Compartmentalisation is there to ensure that if any one part gets compromised the entire government isn't compromised. DOGE has defeated that notion and Elno's track record on infosec is woeful.
I'm just glad the only info he's got on me is an out of date ESTA. Like many other Europeans, the US is off the cards for travel until you guys sort your shit out.
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Stories like this make me glad I've never uploaded a photo of myself to Facebook, LinkedIn, or any other site. Companies like Clearview can't sell what doesn't exist.
Lack of information.... (Score:2)
Neither have I. And yet, my sisters, mother, and friends have uploaded photos of me and named me, and I'm sure Facebook has added that to their dossier on me.
Again I'll say: (Score:3)
Clearview AI are just a bunch of Privacy Rapists (just like their pals Meta[stasize])
If any doubt remained, (Score:2)
... then the doubt has been laid to rest. We are governed by corporations, and the 'governments' we vote for and pay taxes to are merely beards.
Sure, that's a bit of an exaggeration. It used to be a bigger exaggeration, and tomorrow it will be a smaller one. In a fairly short time, I expect it to be a simple truth. At that point, voting - even, or perhaps especially, for the average citizen - will be indistinguishable form opening one's wallet.
Trump's People Will Sell Everyone Out (Score:2)
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Very Likely
Clearview stated the following in the article:
" It has stated that it expects its business to grow under the second Trump administration, especially with a new CEO at its helm"
So if this happens, we will essentially have two classes of citizens like in David Brin's sci-fi universe: Those who are "probationers" and those who are "citizens"
So where is this going to end? It might not stop at a database. In Brin's book "Sundiver" probationers were fitted with surgically implanted probation transmit
This is why DOGE wanted SS records .... (Score:1)
Musk and his team of teenage misfits are looking at cashing in on a new business. Subscription service for law enforcement or any private investigator.