The “BlueWhale” uses special sensors to spot underwater and surface threats, and can help clear mines. The cool bit? It’s fully autonomous and runs on batteries for weeks. Basically, a Roomba’s scarier cousin with serious military vibes.
How the government spies on you
© Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com
When I shared my tip on opting out of the Transportation Security Administration’s new facial recognition tech at airports the other week, I got a ton of questions. First and foremost, though, a lot of you said, “I didn’t know I could do that.”
You can and you should (steps below). But your face isn’t the only data metric the government collects about you. Here are a few things we know they know.
What you look like and where you are
Many other places use facial recognition, like grocery stores, banks, sports and concert venues. I’m pretty sure you’ve gone to at least one of those in the past year.
Government AI tools add pictures you’ve shared on social media to a facial-recognition database that’s then paired with CCTV cameras everywhere. This tech can pinpoint your location, associations and activities with creepy precision.
Who you’re talking to (and what you’re saying)
After 9/11, Congress enabled warrantless monitoring of foreign communications. The National Security Agency (NSA) exploits a loophole to conduct mass surveillance of Americans, too.
They copy some info directly from fiber-optic cables (crazy, right?) and get other stuff from companies like Google. They also have access to real-time internet activity with a “secret” program called XKeyscore.
What you’re posting and who you’re following
The government monitors Facebook, X, Instagram and all the rest. Even if your account is private, the government can ask companies for access. Remember, friend: What you post on social media is out there forever.
What you’re buying and browsing
Data brokers buy info from your internet service provider, Big Tech companies and even smart appliance manufacturers. Then, they package it up and sell it to advertisers — and the U.S. government. This is another reason to get your personal information out of all these invasive databases.
Privacy vs. terrorism
The feds say the threat of a major terrorist attack is the highest since 9/11. How are they fighting back? Surveillance.
Spies on the road: Washington State’s using motion data from your phone — yep, the same one in your car’s cupholder — to find speeding hot spots. A Michelin-backed system anonymously logs braking and acceleration, then tips off the State Patrol. The upside? Fewer crashes. The downside? Your commute just joined the surveillance state. Not tracked personally, but just enough to ruin your shortcut.
1 minute
That’s how much footage is mysteriously missing from Jeffrey Epstein’s jail video. The DOJ dropped 11 hours of grainy surveillance and still managed to skip the one minute everyone cares about. Conspiracy thriller writers, congrats, the feds just gave you your cold open. Oh, and it wasn’t just one, but two jail cams that “malfunctioned” near Epstein’s cell.
88%
That’s how many Gen Zers are cool with sharing their data for free. Now, Verb.AI’s giving them a reason to actually profit from the surveillance. Gen Z: simultaneously terrified of phone calls and totally fine letting a startup track their every digital move. “It’s not stalking if it’s opt-in,” apparently.
Facial ID, no thanks: Airport scanners know your face before TSA even checks your ID. It’s now live at 84 airports, pitched as “frictionless.” Opting out is possible, but no one tells you how. Critics say it screams surveillance state. TSA says it’s just “enhanced security.” Next upgrade: retina scan in the TSA PreCheck mirror.
👁️ New Orleans secret surveillance: For two years, police used facial recognition to track people in real time. They tapped into a private network of cameras to scan crowds for anyone on a wanted list and sent alerts to officers. The twist? It might not have been legal. The program’s now paused (paywall link).
🧟♂️ No face? No problem: AI’s tracking you anyway. A startup called Veritone made an AI that ditches facial recognition and still tracks you in video footage, just by how you walk and what you’re wearing. It’s already being used by cops and government agencies. The tech is legal, terrifying and possibly the start of your new fashion surveillance arc.
🪖 Welcome to drone country, soldier: The Army just launched its biggest makeover since the Cold War, and it’s all about drones. Think 1,000 drones (paywall link) per combat division, replacing aging gear with swarms of flying surveillance bots, delivery drones and attack craft that would make a Call of Duty dev blush.
👀 Smile, you’re on 15 different cameras: A journalist drove 300 miles across rural Virginia, then filed public records requests to see how often his car was caught on surveillance. The short answer: a lot, proof that even on the quiet backroads, Big Brother is watching and judging your late-night Taco Bell runs.
Don’t look up: Chinese scientists built a surveillance camera that can see your face from space. In a ground test, it locked onto a target 62 miles away and picked up tiny details with scary accuracy. It’s supposedly “100 times” better than today’s top spy cameras and lens-based telescopes.
Don’t let me drone on: The U.S. has a fancy, new spy drone that can fly at 15,000 feet for 14 hours, even while carrying heavy equipment. Most military drones fly for eight hours, tops, so this is a game-changer. Combat teams will use it for recon and surveillance.
AI surveillance at Disney Parks
Enjoying yourself at the most magical place on Earth? If not, Mickey might know.
September 21st, 2024
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison warns AI could fuel a massive surveillance system using doorbell and dashcams. Plus, iOS 18 is being called a homewrecker, the dangers of viral ‘Galaxy Gas,’ and why some bosses are going back to dumbphones.
Why '1984' is no longer just a tech cliché
Think ‘Big Brother’ references are overused? Not when Oracle founder Larry Ellison starts talking about global surveillance through AI-powered cameras. Here’s the story.
How tech saved lives in Georgia school shooting
A tragic shooting at Apalachee High in Winder, Georgia, left four dead and nine injured. It may have been worse without a new safety system — teachers used a digital panic button to save lives. Plus, Amazon Alexa loses billions, Taylor Swift surveillance, and FB censors opinions.
ADT hides a major cyber hack
The home surveillance company revealed a data breach but is hiding the details. I’ll tell you why this should make you rethink who’s protecting your home.
👀 How FedEx is helping cops spy on you: Flock Safety makes automated license plate readers and video surveillance gear. Its 40,000 cameras are used in 3,000 communities across 40 states. FedEx has AI-powered cameras in its delivery trucks recording everything it sees. Now, FedEx is selling those recordings to Flock, which will provide them to law enforcement agencies and who knows who else. Reminds me of the book “1984.”
RIP, Astro: Amazon’s Astro for Business roving bots won’t work anymore starting Sept. 25. The $2,349.99 surveillance bot was designed to buzz around your office night and day. It was really only a matter of time until someone tried to hack these.