Trial By Pixel?

[agchristie]

What are your thoughts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-28307929

[jno]

we don't have much anonymity even now. CCTV can track us everywhere we go, GCHQ can listen to our phone calls and read our emails.

The British seem okay with this, perhaps because they believe the country is full of crooks and every effort should be made to put half the population behind bars. But compare the public anger in America about the government spying on citizens, compared with shrugged shoulders here.

[sp1814]

agchristie

My main concern is 'over-trust of technology'.

I compare it to DNA evidence. When told that the defendant's DNA was found at the scene of the crime, and that only 0.0000.2% of the population share a similar DNA profile, it's possible to conclude, "Well, it's definitely him/her then".

It would need more corroborative evidence than simple facial recognition to prove a prosecution case, although I suppose it could be useful in eliminating suspects.

[sp1814]

agchristie

By the way...I don't suppose there's any chance of some more Miss Marple books is there?

[agchristie]

///we don't have much anonymity even now. CCTV can track us everywhere we go, GCHQ can listen to our phone calls and read our emails. The British seem okay with this///

I'm not sure how strongly the British feel about their privacy, very double-edged isn't it?

[agchristie]

sp - ///My main concern is 'over-trust of technology'. I compare it to DNA evidence. When told that the defendant's DNA was found at the scene of the crime, and that only 0.0000.2% of the population share a similar DNA profile, it's possible to conclude, "Well, it's definitely him/her then". ///

Yes, agree - despite the advances of DNA it cannot always be relied on even if the chances of finding a 'match' are a billion to one!

Look at the subject of Low Copy Number DNA and an example of this is the trial of two men following the Massereene Barracks shooting in 2009.

As for Miss Marple - LOL

[sp1814]

agchristie

Actually, my main concern with DNA profiles comes down to cross-contamination (either deliberate or accidental).

One place where I would be quite happy for facial recognition to be adopted, is on mobile phones and/or tablets.

I quite like the idea of being able to pick up a tablet computer, and if it's me then it would log me on, and present me with my email, favourite websites etc.

However, if it's a shared tablet, and my partner picked it up, all of *his* mails and websites would be displayed etc.

[agchristie]

sp - ///Actually, my main concern with DNA profiles comes down to cross-contamination (either deliberate or accidental). ///

...and that has definitely been an issue which judges have been known to be scathing about.

///I quite like the idea of being able to pick up a tablet computer, and if it's me then it would log me on, and present me with my email, favourite websites etc.///

Definitely! Every little de-stresser helps!!

[ToraToraTora]

for use in crime fighting fine, not so happy about people tracking as a metter of courseuse in advertising. It's bad enough now with targeted ads on sites like this but imagine looking in a shop window then the being bombarded with emails/texts etc!

[agchristie]

TTT - /// imagine looking in a shop window then the being bombarded with emails/texts etc!///

We might have to face up to it!!