Clearview AI's co-founder Hoan Ton-That recently defended his startup's use of controversial facial recognition software:
If you're skeptical about whether your company will ever use facial recognition technology as a business tool, you're not alone. Perhaps the most prominent facial recognition technology provider in the world, Clearview AI, has attracted significant criticism and raised ethical concerns even as it has been used by law enforcement.
In a live interview with the Washington Post last week, New York-based Clearview AI's co-founder and CEO Hoan Ton-That addressed questions about the ethical and legal implications of his software, which became first known to many Americans when a billionaire used it to identify his daughter's dinner date, and for the involvement of far-right individuals in the creation of the company. Pressed on questions about the legal and ethical choices his firm has made while creating a searchable database of 20 billion facial images, Ton-That repeatedly brought up examples where the use cases of Clearview AI's technology would look better in the public eye, mentioning its use in helping catch criminals in child pornography and child abuse cases. Ton-That also pointed to the use of Clearview AI's technology by the Ukrainian government to identify dead Russian soldiers, for notifying their families of their passing.
While Clearview AI has some 20 billion facial images to feed its current product, the dataset is being used only by governments so far. "There's no non-governmental use of this dataset at this time," Ton-That said, adding that "we've developed as prototypes different versions of our technology for retail and banking."
Ton-That went on to say he welcomes regulation and his company will not do business with governments he described as "authoritarian."
Originally spotted on The Eponymous Pickle.
Previously:
Ukraine Reportedly Adopts Clearview AI to Track Russian Invaders
Italy Slaps Facial Recognition Firm Clearview AI With €20 Million Fine
Facial Recognition Firm Clearview AI Tells Investors: It's Seeking Massive Expansion
France Has Ordered Clearview AI to Delete its Facial Recognition Data
US Government Agencies Plan to Increase Their Use of Facial Recognition Technology
And many more
(Score: 3, Interesting) by tangomargarine on Wednesday May 04 2022, @08:51PM
Okay, that's a bit creepy...but I can think of a lot worse uses of the technology...
Oh good, we're on another Mozilla Brendan Eich witchhunt that isn't relevant to the thing itself. I guess, the worry is they leak their database to a militia group or something that decides to hunt you down and shoot your dog?
Ooh boy, I'm sure these will be good.
Won't somebody please think of the children!!?!?
No no, you're supposed to name THE TERRRISTS as your next example, dude. Haven't you ever done this before?
(P.S: The *Ukrainian* government is identifying dead *Russian* soldiers? Considering all the horrible things Russia is doing to them, why bother? If anything it's in Ukraine's interest for Russian citizens back home to *not* know what happened to their husbands and brothers and sons, for more domestic pressure to end the war?)
*cough*
*cough* *cough*
--
Man, whenever you see somebody try this hard to spin something like this, you just know it's bad news.
"No no, see, the drones will automatically deliver dog food to your front door for your puppies! They may also, erm, *ahem*, automatically shoot you in the face if you happen to be on our secret government blacklist--but that only happens to *bad* people! There's no need to regulate us!"
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"