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500k facial scans at UK stations yield no arrests, 1 false positive

518 points · 305 comments · ilamont

  1. benbristow · · focus · HN ↗
    I've had an idea in the back of my head but I'm no businessman so have this one for free.

    Build an AI model, train it from the catalogues of JD Sports and Sports Direct (and other brands like Stone Island etc.) and how to detect balaclavas, illegal electric bikes and e-scooters. Have it link to cameras and do a percentage chance using machine learning on chance of crime. Also increase the percentage if a 'wheely' is done (riding only on back wheel).

    Would minority report the majority of crime in this country in one fell swoop.

    Could call it ScroteScanner.

    Some would call it discrimination but the majority of ASB I see around my area are people dressed/using those exact things.

    If they start to catch-on (unlikely) then worse case we have a fancier looking society with gangsters in suits again.

    1. Waterluvian · · focus · HN ↗
      They should just round up and imprison all the people who walk in my neighbourhood.

      Some would call it discrimination but the majority of people who commit crimes in my area are people who can walk. I rarely see the wheelchair crowd pulling off B&Es.

      Oh, or people who wear clothes. Criminals seem to like wearing clothes. Point proven: you never see nudists shoplifting Old Navy.

      1. benbristow · · focus · HN ↗
        People on illegal escooters or illegal electric bikes are already committing crimes, there's rarely a decent reason to be wearing a balaclava in the city.

        As I said, machine learning to take all these pointers into perspective.

        1. adammarples · · focus · HN ↗
          Trouble is you'd be scooping up 90% of boys in a certain race, class, age bracket, because those ballys and bikes and Nike tech are effectively fashion at this point even if you're doing nothing wrong. And if that's the case you don't need AI you can just wait outside the school gates and arrest everyone.
          1. benbristow · · focus · HN ↗
            Those are the types likely to be committing a lot of the crimes. Come to a working class town and see for yourself, or go on any local town Facebook group or council page and look at the comments.
            1. adammarples · · focus · HN ↗
              I'm in Tottenham I don't need to go to your town to get the point. However the point remains, you can't just arrest an entire social cohort.
              1. benbristow · · focus · HN ↗
                Wasn't saying arrest, I mean pre warning/monitoring. If you run a shop you'd get an alert saying watch your fours.
                1. someonebaggy · · focus · HN ↗
                  So the police should set up a Flock network for teenage boys or what?
                  1. benbristow · · focus · HN ↗
                    I have no idea what Flock is, last I knew it was a web browser designed for social media which failed.
                    1. someonebaggy · · focus · HN ↗
                      You must've been living under a rock. Flock is the panopticon camera network in the USA. It watches most people's location most of the time, so the police can just type in someone's identifier and find out where they are and where they've been.
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