Internet Privacy.. What Privacy?

Aired In November 2010

(video courtesy NBC Action News- KSHB- Kansas City)

Then there's "Facial Recognition Software." It was first used in 2007. Now a number of police departments in American cities have purchased this same software searching the sidewalks and streets.

It is also being used on a number of red light cameras to positively identify who was driving the car when they issue traffic violation tickets..

(video courtesy Jesse Hirsh)

Keep in mind if the good guys can get their hands on this kind of software, so can the bad guys.

I can tell you from experience that YouTube has been using this for the last 4 years or so. Every time I upload a video, YouTube gleans it for copywrite infringement. The same is also true for audio tracks as well. A few years ago I loaded about 5 of my completely original sound canvas midi synthesizer generated musical sequences and 3 of them got tagged for infringement. While this did not result in me losing my channel.. I was warned. I then removed them.

What does all this imply?* That the government's black ops are constantly scouring YouTube video files for potential terrorists/trouble makers.

*Others (at all levels) in law enforcement are seeking out various perpetrators.

* That the entertainment industry is clamping down, and sometimes suing individuals for copywrite infringement violations.

* That large corporations can monitor who's saying what about them and whether elect to take legal actions.

* That the "bad guys" can get a hold of this same technology.

* There's no such thing as true anonymity on the 'net'... including mine.