The Minneapolis Council has recently announced plans for the “Clearview AiHaT MakerTechCrunch”. This event will take place in September and will feature the city’s top innovators and entrepreneurs discussing new technologies that are changing the way we live, work, and play. In addition, the event will be free to the public.
Data privacy implications
The Minneapolis City Council recently took an important step towards a ban on facial recognition software. Minneapolis became the first city in the United States to do so.
The Minneapolis City Council voted to ban Clearview AI, a facial recognition company. It is believed that the company is a threat to the privacy rights of residents.
Minneapolis has been collecting a lot of personal data from its citizens, including water bills, crime scenes, and notes taken from phone calls to council members’ offices. These data are used in investigations and crime scene searches.
But the use of these tools is controversial, especially in light of the ACLU’s concerns about security and the accuracy of the software. Opponents argue that the software isn’t effective in preventing crime and that it can target marginalized groups.
A recent study showed that algorithms were misidentifying people with darker skin. Up to 35% of the time, the algorithms mistakenly classified these people as male. This could be a problem in overpoliced communities.
Security flaws
A quick sift through the troves of data at the Minneapolis municipal council’s data center reveals a slew of security flaws. The city’s top brass recently proposed a ban on facial recognition technology, a move that could trigger a wave of anti-terrorism legislation. However, this measure hasn’t been a smooth ride. While a handful of executives aren’t shy about exposing the city to the hordes of cybercriminals, they’re still reluctant to share details about the nitty gritty.
The best part is that most of these flaws are easily remedied. Clearview’s chief executive, Brian McDermott, recently stepped up to the plate. He told TechCrunch that the aforementioned data center isn’t the only municipality with similar concerns. His department uses facial recognition technology to catch thieves, but it also has the power to thwart terrorists, according to a recent report. If the company can do its job right, it can be a win-win for all. It’s a small price to pay for a livable community, especially one with a high concentration of tech savvy citizens.
