Interesting article, but this is something that has been happening and will continue to.
Technology being put to use to seek out enemies of the state for the world governments is nothing new.
Atleast it is a good thing that companies are making good money in the process. Your privacy? That was lost long ago.
It was only a matter of time before this happened. Atleast be glad that we've not yet reached the stage where they'd bother having your entire genome sequence to create solutions and replacements for you:-)
Perhaps the author of the article has just read Cryptonomicon or something.
Get over it, companies will track you, governments will monitor it. And there will be people who will beat both, and people who will be susceptible to both. Unfortunate, but hey, paranoia does not help either.
And oh, first post?
Reminds me of...
by
gpinzone
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
...how the Bayesian spam filters operate (on a much smaller scale). They find predictors of "spam" like these guys find predictors of "terrorists."
If the false positives of this system finding terrorists are as low as the ones that identify spam, is it really unreasonable to consider that probable cause for an investigation? At least, until the 0.000001% slips by and causes a lawsuit for wrongful arrest.
Re:Reminds me of...
by
gpinzone
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
Yes, but remember that the current methods aren't much better. I mean, right now there's lots of complaints about how the USA is racially profiling Middle Eastern men. Whether or not this profiling is justified could be based on a report of such a filter.
The issue isn't whether or not we should use data mining to profile individuals or groups. Profilling will occur no matter what. What these methods do are help find parameters that more accurately identify candidates rather than just assume all Middle Easterners are automatically guilty until proven otherwise.
profiteering?
by
SHEENmaster
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
Today, however, companies that excel in connecting the data dots are finding a lifeline in a customer whose IT ineptitude is matched only by its means: the U.S. government, which will spend $53 billion on information technology this year. The Federal Government's inability to share and analyze information became clear in the months after the 9/11 attacks.
While I want argue against the governments inability to do anything but waste money, I do think that these "anti-terrorism" dealies are going too far. We know that they are spending $53 billion on information technology. When they spend it on a hammer or a toilet seat I know that something is getting done, but "information technology" makes me suspicious.
Granted my opinion is largely a result of window flags selling in excess of twenty dollars and not hearing the results of such spending. In fact, I haven't heard of a single terrorist act averted since 9/11. It couldn't hurt to inform us when the spending pays off; could it?
Is this information actually getting results, or is it just profiteering of the corporations that we so love to slander and libel?
-- You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
Open Source DateMining!
by
cosmosis
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
Ok, I've been annoyed for years at the disparity between corporations and customers in who knows what about who. I think its time someone came up with a P2p, open source, reputation system in which we can turn the lens of datamining back on them. Technologies like Cuejack combined with the efforts of groups like Transparency International, can help bring about Participitory Capitalism.
Data Mining as used by Colombian Drug Cartels ...
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
Here is a real life story about data mining and its potential for brutal consequences. This was a very early application. Those who were fingered were killed. Of course, they adopted our new (lack of) due process rules a decade ago...
At the end of the article, it mentions data mining helping to catch the DC snipers. Whoooooooa.
The cops had profiled a white male Christian terrorist, and that's all they were looking for. You didn't catch the article, but the real perps were stopped **10** times at roadblocks, they were in custody that many times.
And they were let go, their skin color contradicted what the data mining told them. They weren't caught until a Maryland state trooper leaked the license plate, then a trucker at a rest stop made the collar.
Data mining won't solve the stupidity of leaders like Chief Moose.
The Beast
by
macdaddy357
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
Does this data mining stuff remind anyone of the old urban legend about "The Beast?" A super computer in Antwerp of Brussels that knows everythin about everyone? Is that idea still as ridiculous as it was back in the day?
Slashdot Mirror
Interesting article, but this is something that has been happening and will continue to.
:-)
Technology being put to use to seek out enemies of the state for the world governments is nothing new.
Atleast it is a good thing that companies are making good money in the process. Your privacy? That was lost long ago.
It was only a matter of time before this happened. Atleast be glad that we've not yet reached the stage where they'd bother having your entire genome sequence to create solutions and replacements for you
Perhaps the author of the article has just read Cryptonomicon or something.
Get over it, companies will track you, governments will monitor it. And there will be people who will beat both, and people who will be susceptible to both. Unfortunate, but hey, paranoia does not help either.
And oh, first post?
...how the Bayesian spam filters operate (on a much smaller scale). They find predictors of "spam" like these guys find predictors of "terrorists."
If the false positives of this system finding terrorists are as low as the ones that identify spam, is it really unreasonable to consider that probable cause for an investigation? At least, until the 0.000001% slips by and causes a lawsuit for wrongful arrest.
Today, however, companies that excel in connecting the data dots are finding a lifeline in a customer whose IT ineptitude is matched only by its means: the U.S. government, which will spend $53 billion on information technology this year. The Federal Government's inability to share and analyze information became clear in the months after the 9/11 attacks.
While I want argue against the governments inability to do anything but waste money, I do think that these "anti-terrorism" dealies are going too far. We know that they are spending $53 billion on information technology. When they spend it on a hammer or a toilet seat I know that something is getting done, but "information technology" makes me suspicious.
Granted my opinion is largely a result of window flags selling in excess of twenty dollars and not hearing the results of such spending. In fact, I haven't heard of a single terrorist act averted since 9/11. It couldn't hurt to inform us when the spending pays off; could it?
Is this information actually getting results, or is it just profiteering of the corporations that we so love to slander and libel?
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
Ok, I've been annoyed for years at the disparity between corporations and customers in who knows what about who. I think its time someone came up with a P2p, open source, reputation system in which we can turn the lens of datamining back on them. Technologies like Cuejack combined with the efforts of groups like Transparency International, can help bring about Participitory Capitalism.
Power to the people!
Planet P Blog - Liberty with Technology.
www.enthea.org
Here is a real life story about data mining and its potential for brutal consequences. This was a very early application. Those who were fingered were killed. Of course, they adopted our new (lack of) due process rules a decade ago...
2 06 ,00.html
http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,41
At the end of the article, it mentions data mining helping to catch the DC snipers. Whoooooooa.
The cops had profiled a white male Christian terrorist, and that's all they were looking for. You didn't catch the article, but the real perps were stopped **10** times at roadblocks, they were in custody that many times.
And they were let go, their skin color contradicted what the data mining told them. They weren't caught until a Maryland state trooper leaked the license plate, then a trucker at a rest stop made the collar.
Data mining won't solve the stupidity of leaders like Chief Moose.
Does this data mining stuff remind anyone of the old urban legend about "The Beast?" A super computer in Antwerp of Brussels that knows everythin about everyone? Is that idea still as ridiculous as it was back in the day?
How ya like dat?