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This seems like it is approaching the problem from the wrong angle. This should be addressed at the government law level. The problem is where do you draw the

This seems like it is approaching the problem from the wrong angle. This should be addressed at the government law level. The problem is where do you draw the line? Any technology can be used for evil. Do you next ask companies that sell cameras not to sell to the government? Then ban computers? Laws that concern themselves with targeting and surveilling people encompass any technology. Facial recognition is not a hard problem and this is just a matter of convenience. Government can just go around and implement it themselves if nobody provides it to them. At least through Amazon there is some level of non-government control to shut it off if they end up doing anything nefarious.

_rpd 8y ago
> Facial recognition is not a hard problem Low quality facial recognition is easy. High quality facial recognition is hard.
zaptheimpaler 8y ago
I agree with this in principle, but in the US the intelligence/police don't really seem to be accountable to the people. They regularly conduct surveillance on huge scales and no one even knows about it until we get lucky with a leak like Snowden. Who knows how many dozens of other secrets like that they still have. The CIA/FBI etc. have a history of doing this kind of thing for decades, at least since WW2. Then it gets declassified 50 years later when no one cares. Surveillance is a case where its good for the government, but bad for the people the government is meant to represent. Bottom line is they will never police themselves on this issue. So going after the people making it like Amazon may be a better idea.
- manigandham 8y ago
  The intelligence and police apparatus are the people. They are not some alien overlords, you can meet these employees and see what they do, and alter their course of actions by shaping the government through direct voting. Trying to change it via corporate proxy is not going to really work.

_rpd 8y ago

> Facial recognition is not a hard problem Low quality facial recognition is easy. High quality facial recognition is hard.

zaptheimpaler 8y ago

I agree with this in principle, but in the US the intelligence/police don't really seem to be accountable to the people. They regularly conduct surveillance on huge scales and no one even knows about it until we get lucky with a leak like Snowden. Who knows how many dozens of other secrets like that they still have. The CIA/FBI etc. have a history of doing this kind of thing for decades, at least since WW2. Then it gets declassified 50 years later when no one cares. Surveillance is a case where its good for the government, but bad for the people the government is meant to represent. Bottom line is they will never police themselves on this issue. So going after the people making it like Amazon may be a better idea.

manigandham 8y ago
The intelligence and police apparatus are the people. They are not some alien overlords, you can meet these employees and see what they do, and alter their course of actions by shaping the government through direct voting. Trying to change it via corporate proxy is not going to really work.