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NSA Collects "Millions Of Images" Each Day For Its Facial Recognition Database
With the NSA already reigning supreme when it comes to the capture of virtually every form of instantaneous electronic communication and interchange, aka the "flow" of data, there is one final threshold that the US superspy agency needed to cross before the biggest brother of all would have full control over not only the flow of information, but its stock too: a photographic database of virtually everyone. And courtesy of not only programs like Facebook, but also its access to government photographic data, the NSA is focusing on just that. As the NYT reports, the agency is "harvesting huge numbers of images of people from communications that it intercepts through its global surveillance operations for use in sophisticated facial recognition programs, according to top-secret documents."
When we say "focusing", we mean just that, at a pace that is simply unprecedented:
"The agency intercepts “millions of images per day” — including about 55,000 “facial recognition quality images” — which translate into “tremendous untapped potential,” according to 2011 documents obtained from the former agency contractor Edward J. Snowden. While once focused on written and oral communications, the N.S.A. now considers facial images, fingerprints and other identifiers just as important to its mission of tracking suspected terrorists and other intelligence targets, the documents show."
The NSA is not shy about its intentions:
“It’s not just the traditional communications we’re after: It’s taking a full-arsenal approach that digitally exploits the clues a target leaves behind in their regular activities on the net to compile biographic and biometric information” that can help “implement precision targeting,” noted a 2010 document.
In addition to its traditionally favorite method of collecting data, namely unauthorized intercepts of emails and other electronic communications, the NSA has a cornucopia of prepared data it can parse.
State and local law enforcement agencies are relying on a wide range of databases of facial imagery, including driver’s licenses and Facebook, to identify suspects. The F.B.I. is developing what it calls its “next generation identification” project to combine its automated fingerprint identification system with facial imagery and other biometric data.
While it is the US State Department that has "what several outside experts say could be the largest facial imagery database in the federal government, storing hundreds of millions of photographs of American passport holders and foreign visa applicants", what sets the NSA apart, aside from having unchecked access to virtually all electronic data located anywhere in the world, is its ability to match images with huge troves of private communications.
The agency has developed sophisticated ways to integrate facial recognition programs with a wide range of other databases. It intercepts video teleconferences to obtain facial imagery, gathers airline passenger data and collects photographs from national identity card databases created by foreign countries, the documents show. They also note that the N.S.A. was attempting to gain access to such databases in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
One of the N.S.A.’s broadest efforts to obtain facial images is a program called Wellspring, which strips out images from emails and other communications, and displays those that might contain passport images. In addition to in-house programs, the N.S.A. relies in part on commercially available facial recognition technology, including from PittPatt, a small company owned by Google, the documents show.
When asked for comment, an N.S.A. spokesman said the agency did not have access to photographs in state databases of driver’s licenses or to passport photos of Americans, while declining to say whether the agency had access to the State Department database of photos of foreign visa applicants. She also declined to say whether the N.S.A. collected facial imagery of Americans from Facebook and other social media through means other than communications intercepts. Which is a yes.
Ironically, while the NYT reports of several instances of false positives when using the database, the NSA's, and the administration's response has been one comparable to what Edward Snowden lamented yesterday when discussing 9/11: instead of focusing on improving the accuracy of its pinpoint matches, the NSA is simply expanding its database making it more unwieldy, and violating even more privacy statutes in the process.
And before someone says it was all Bush's fault, it appears Obama has taken a keen interest in boosting the NSA's photo database:
The N.S.A. has accelerated its use of facial recognition technology under the Obama administration, the documents show, intensifying its efforts after two intended attacks on Americans that jarred the White House. The first was the case of the so-called underwear bomber, in which Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian, tried to trigger a bomb hidden in his underwear while flying to Detroit on Christmas in 2009. Just a few months later, in May 2010, Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-American, attempted a car bombing in Times Square.
Finally, while faces can and do lead to false positive results, with the use of disguises or other reasons, the final frontier that the NSA appears to be gunning for are iris scans, which like fingerprints, are unique to an individual and as such won't lead to a false identification.
... the agency has considered getting access to iris scans through its phone and email surveillance programs. But asked whether the agency is now doing so, officials declined to comment. The documents also indicate that the N.S.A. collects iris scans of foreigners through other means. In addition, the agency was working with the C.I.A. and the State Department on a program called Pisces, collecting biometric data on border crossings from a wide range of countries.
And putting it all in context, here is the complete private data architecture which the NSA needs in order to feel complete:
- Biometric/Biologic data: showing individual's physical traits: face, iris, fingerprints, voice, gait. More examples of this data include:
- Familial
- Volitional
- Individual
- Sex
- Height
- Heat signature
- Genetic Markers
- Voiceprint
- Blood group
- Language
- Ritual scarification
- Recreational drug
- Medical devices
- Footprint
- Hair chemical profile
- Race
- Motile
- Handwriting
- Typing
- Gait
- Limp
- Biographic: data that documents an individual's life history: name, DOB, address, school, military. More examples of this data include:
- Core Personal
- Addresses
- Educational
- Employment
- Judicial
- Military Service
- Family
- Acquired Traits
- Spouse
- Children
- Cohabitants
- Employees
- Servants
- Guests
- Contextual/Behavioral: data that captures an individual's interactions with the external world: travel, financial behaviors, social network.
- Financial
- Public Records
- Licenses
- Personal Pattern
- Commercial Transaction
- Media Consumption/Production
- Associates
- Political Donations
- Property
- License Plates
- Vehicle VINs
- Tastes/Preferences
- Accounts records
- ATM Usage/Transactions
- Tax Records
- Credit Ratings
And much more. A full breakdown of the NSA's comprehensive ambition is outlined in this formerly confidential slide:
The full NSA slideshow, courtesy of the NYT:
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Time to MOON your cameras
That means BA (bare your ass to them)
The day they achieve Rectal Recognition is the day we'll be checking out.
The Free Shit Army is now owned.
Something for nothing... it's never "different this time."
So who is safe-r?
http://aadivaahan.wordpress.com/2012/06/30/war-of-the-worlds/
This is why they want the veil GONE. Strip Islam in the process...
A Face in the Crowd: Say goodbye to anonymity
Facial recognition: Identifying faces in a crowd in real-time
Government Perfects Crowd-Scanning Facial RecognitionThe goal of these Criminals Psycopaths was to build a massive Global data base of individual Psychological profiles, threat assessments & dosiaires of every man, woman & child on the planet to be used for pure Evil purposes / control.
Between facial recognition and getting RFID technology more mainstream, US is on track to become the worst police state in the history of the world. There will literally be no place to hide.
It's stupid!
Everybody grow a bear and wear cheap sunglasses with the glass so dark they don't even know your name.
And enroll in lessons from The Ministry of Silly Walks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2ViNJFZC8
and here
https://www.google.com/search?q=ministry+of+silly+walks&client=firefox-a...
***Sigh***
There shouldn't be a NSA representative available for comment. The PR department of the NSA should be so overwhelmed from outraged citizens that it simple isn't able to function.
snowden 2016
when dollar will go down the drain all these projects will follow to the toilet.
C322
Not only. Plan is full reference 3D real time avatar of everyone everywhere overlaying Google maps, Google Street, FacRec, all SocMed feeds, RFID/SmartTat biometric transponder, with all of the other data streams mentioned in the article.... search "human surveillance 3d avatar project" and follow the bouncing ball...
We're the new Soylent Green: first they rape us, then they eat us.
So what does the NSA propose to do with respect to Muslim women covered from tip to toe?
Those will all be tagged "John Kerry" by default.
Remember back when they said that all they tracked was metadata on phones?
LOfuckingL!
Ya, those were the good old days.
The Stasi collected body odors and stored them in jars. The NSA collect absolutely everything else.
Hell, they probably collect body odors, too, and keep them in some gigantic Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse.
Not surprised if they have Poop interception centers where they can sample our Shit.
Thanks. Every time I have a movement I will shout "here's mud in your eye motherfuckers!"
actually the CIA has a special section that collects urine and feces samples of foreign leaders!
"man up" slaves! Satan just building his little control grid with lotsa world class pussies to help.
Satan: No such thing.
With this much observable evil in the world you think that? Amazing.
I agree with you, 100%
I agree with you, 100% TB2012
So what does the NSA propose to do with....
Whatever they can get away with.
And, these days, that's a LOT. Say baaaaah, Muppet!
Perhaps some wisdom lies therein?
The French response: "Loi interdisant la dissimulation du visage dans l'espace public." When a surveillance society gains the power to recognize faces, veils must be banned as a "security risk" and "social hindrance."
No TD, fart back! With My Pink Wink Anal Bleaching Cream
www.amazon.com/My-Pink-Wink-Cream-Bleach/dp/B005Y0AZXI My Pink Wink Cream - Anal Bleaching Cream
Alternatives for the other end:
Camouflage from face detection. http://cvdazzle.com/
How to Hide from Machines http://dismagazine.com/dystopia/evolved-lifestyles/8115/anti-surveillanc...
Fashion that will hide you from face-recognition technology http://io9.com/how-fashion-can-be-used-to-thwart-facial-recognition-te-1...
It's cool to be a neo Duran Duran fop Boy George retro sub hetro. Or or full Eighties fool.
Facebook’s DeepFace Project Nears Human Accuracy In Identifying Faces http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/18/faceook-deepface-facial-recognition/?ut...
Call me paranoid, but the first thing I did to my laptop was uninstall the camera driver and put ductape over the lens.
Me too.
ditto
Don't forget your cellie. Every time you feel the need to read ZH on your phone to keep up with the days events, your front camara is staring right at you!! Its like a mini cyclops in your hand---peering at you while you use your phone.
Proud owner of a dumb-phone, here.
Don't even bother to turn around. My webcam light came on on my Mac a couple of months ago all by its little self. Nice. So I keep a piece of masking tape over it now.
Every year on their birthday the NSA sends a Happy Birthday card to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and the Cell Phone companies.
Lets all give NSA a facial
Pleeze, William, take your meds!
The pin is the best part.
Reporter: Mr. Secretary (chuckles), are you happy with the procedure?
Kerry: Well, no one will make fun of my long face anymore. (pandemonious laughter)
Had to erase that Habsburgs Jaw
Thanks 'cause I never would have noticed it past the ass.
Is it just me or does he look better like that?
He looks like a horse's ass.
His eyes look "puffy".
Just yesterday I was reading the latest on the side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibiters, the hidden correlation with suicidal behavior and violent crime, the long term neurological side effects and Big Pharma's efforts to cover it all up. Suffice to say, the findings on these matters are not improving.
If you or anyone else here ingests or has a loved one who ingests chemical mood agents, I would urge you to consider the ramifications carefully.
I am sure the NSA can assist...
I think this is why so many vets have been killing themselves. If the VA stopped giving that shit away like candy we would have more of them around.
On the other side I am betting they can't wait until a vet (white vet anyway) shoots up something and kills lots of folks.
Clearly he is one of America's greatest ass-ets.
Sees no evil, butt reeks of it.
Cheeky fellow!
Give him a colonoscopy.
A colotomy?
And a colostomy bag to go with it.
"Cheeky fellow! "
"Give him a colonoscopy."
From the looks of that picture....that would end up being a lobotomy !
Kerry was always an asshead. This confirms it. Thanks William.
Now that's a shit head.
You are all now belong to us.
If personal data and images are the ammunition of this war on privacy, and the expanding network of security and enforcement cameras are its fortifications and minefields; is Google Glass going to be the front line weapon of its foot soldiers?
With the facial recognition apps being developed for the Glass, the stop and frisk policies of some big city police departments may become obsolete. They will already know who you are (and any outstanding wants, warrants, and your criminal record) by the time they walk up to you. Then just a quick sweep with a handheld metal detector and you can be on your way. Come to think of it, though, I might sleep better knowing they have an explosive or drug sniffing dog there to poke its nose in your crotch and make absolutely sure it's A-OK for you to be out running loose in the streets.
Enjoy those increased chocolate rations folks.
Fuck yeah google glass will be the frontline weapon. The irony in google glass is they will make you pay for google glass then tax you on it while collecting data free of charge.....still taxing you.
anyone wearing gg that crosses my path is gonna get a swift kick in the sack
You should be wearing GG to record a few of those !!!
So now you know why Facebook craves for all this information from the users. The same for companies like Apple or Google that want you to use voice commands or even your fingertrips "for your own commodity and security".
The best way gathering data is always having it given voluntarily. Fucking guppies never seen it coming. Posting pictures like it is going out of style and coining the term "selfie" takes the cake. You are an imbecile if you post anything over the internet with you or your family's picture.
I'm sure the NSA has access to multimedia texts too... and if they don't... well, it's only a matter of time.
Have you ever sent a picture to someone using your phone?
Saturday, November 20th, 2010
"They, through the banks, modern communications, the military, religious organizations and government will want to rule you all. Watch out and listen now."
http://www.thewarningsecondcoming.com/rise-of-satanic-groups-and-world-c...
http://www.ufunk.net/en/techno/pixelhead/
Anti-surveillance mask lets you pass as someone elsehttp://www.cnet.com/news/urme-anti-surveillance-mask-lets-you-pass-as-so...
Anti-surveillance mask foils facial recognition systems
http://net-security.org/secworld.php?id=16916
https://www.google.com/search?q=laws+wearing+masks&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=...
I'd expect these will soon be against the law if they aren't already.
How many of us can fit into a single John Kerry mask? It would be too roomy for just one.
I call dibs on a Richard Nixon mask.
so u like dick on your face ?
NSA, contemplate this for awhile...
Wow. Yesterday I couldn't even spell "target of interest," and now I are one (confirmed by retinal scan and dick print.)
I bet you that after a trillion dollars is blown they will find out that all people are human and behave exactly as humans do.
While under surveillance and control by government they make mistakes at nuclear power plants and are prone to wipe out empires just like happened in Russia with Chernobyl.
The world's first Panopticon State; no prizes for guessing which country is next.
Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you
Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you
O can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches with every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Cui bono?
Thinking of you...
I think I'll pull the tape off of my laptop camera and stick my dick right up to the lens.
General KEITH -- "Jimmy, I think I have detected terrorist activity, what is that?"
Director JAMES -- "It looks like a huge pink and purple sperm whale!"
So many tools that are a tyrant's wet dream. All that America needs is for an Adolf Hitler type to come to occupy the oval office and then the Repbulic will be well and truly dead.
May she R I P
So everyone start emailing everyone with the words "death to Amerikkka" and attach a pic of Obama. The NSA will have no choice but to drone the white house.
They know all about us and we are still here. It must be hard for them to constantly be ovewelmed with the mountains of information about grandpa's hernia and what time to pick Johnny and Sara from soccer practice. What a waste...
pointless to recognize foreign ppl that wont go visit new york because of falling apart system
/s
Well, I had thought some day I would be forced to wear a burka. I hadn't considered at some point I would put it on willingly.
Miffed;-)
Bullish on haute couture unisex burkas.
Try this for awhile. When you leave home, walk up and down the street with a hockey goalie mask on. NSA,pfft. local PD.
"And before someone says it was all Bush's fault, it appears Obama has taken a keen interest in boosting the NSA's photo database"
Didn't it start when Bush was President? "They hate us for our freedoms" was a phony one liner. In 2012 Romney didn't say he would have overturned the Patriot Act or shut down the new UtaH data center. It doesn't matter the Obama has a keen interest, the rest do to.
Another Snowden "leak" that everyone with an IQ over 40 already knew...
I can't wait until he tells us that our cell location is pinged every few seconds and recorded...or that our financial transactions are also watched.
War is coming
I believe war is coming too. All this money printing without any "real wealth" being created will ultimately lead to war as countries devalue currencies in their race to the bottom. At some point someone will be left very unhappy--and then we'll have war.
@ aardwolf
War is coming? When did the last one end?
The middle class has been formally defeated.....
FWIW, Clif High (of web-bot fame) recently forecasted a trend where people would apply fake facial hair and/or wear (partial?) masks due to such surveillance issues. His timing sucks but it was to begin towards the end of this year I think.
Personally, I am partial to the new hoodie designs
Perfect for meeting the girlfriend's parents, don't you think?
Heh,mb if her folks are 'Rockers'!
Alternately, you could get a 'plain' fullzipper and print a suit and tie on it, with a pic of Alex P Keaton for the face...y'know: play to your audience.
They will know it's me when they see me walkin with my pimp limp. You better electronically recognize!
They might as well just come out and say, look, everyone now has a complete digital profile. Everything you have ever said, and done, everywhere you have been and everyone you have ever been in contact with has been recorded, and if need be, it can and will be used against you.
I'm assuming that is the case anyways, and the fukd up thing is that is has actually forced me to change certain aspects of my life.
Way to go NSA, way to go.
One of the few advantages of being old. I don't have anything that interests those fucks at NSA, or anywhere else. And I'll likely be dead before things get completely out of hand---but maybe not. Fuck it.
It's you young folks that should be pissed and taking some real decisive action....and not just on this front--all across the board.
Good f'in luck!
You got that right, but our generation allowed this to happen and we have to help the young ones set it right. Never mind that we have been lied to, but there are too many old people taking from .gov far more than they ever put it and love their secure, kosher lifestyles too much to stand up for what is right. Too many of our generaqtion have no integrity. They complain a lot but don't have the balls to say no as it may effect their net flix subscriptions and health care.
Fuck you NSA and feral Federal government for destroying our freedoms under the guise of manufactured terrorism. Secure the borders and leave the American population the fuck alone and stop violating the constitutional controls on overreaching FEDERAL government actions.
I wonder how that is going to work out for me.
I have a doppelganger with hundreds of his images on the web.
One of my ancient ancestors was painted by Lotto, and everyone that sees the portrait swears
we are twins.Same rare surname.Maybe the NSA will think I died in the 1520's,I can but hope.
They will start an anti-zombie campaign to make damn sure the dead are dead. You will be a priority 1 drone target for just that reason. Nice knowing you.
The NSA, TSA, CIA are employed by the people. I think it is only fair the people has pictures and ID of every employee for these organizations and it is our right to know what they are doing, what their budgets are and if they are operating within the confines of the Constituion or not.
Hell yes. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. If they are going to pull this big brother shit then we should not only have access to our own records, which I can not see how they can withhold, but I should also be able to access the records of any public servants. That would be the the proper way to use this technology.
Easy to spot. They will be the ones firing full auto weapons into crowds of hungry, desperate Terrists!
Also companies can buy commercial versions of facial recognition software, so that's out there too, so your local 7-11, grocery store and so on...
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/03/facial-recognition-technology-now...
And then we also have this big failure of a Consumer Protection Financial Agency..Richard Cordray wanting to build a Federal Data Base of all US consumer credit data..I sent this on to a couple Congressmen and and I don't have faith in the GOP but in this case just because of who they are and what they do let's work them to shoot this one down:) Google's working them and figured out the psychology so we should be able to do that too.
It's like the lobbyists do with digital illiteracy, let' work em:) We don't need yet another government data base of all our credit data. What an Algo Duped genius Richard Cordray became..he's got the Sebelius syndrome bad...I did a comparison between the two and the commonalities are shocking.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/05/richard-cordray-yet-one-more-algo...
Who put this black electrical tape over my camera viewer? You bastards!
/sarc
The all knowing god and all knowing state grow closer and closer together. There can only be one religion left and it is called democracy and will be imposed on brown people in deserts.
So that means my strobed picture was uploaded to NSA on each and every amusement park ride I took with my daughter at Uniiversal Studios yesterday in Orlando?( the Rockiit, The Hulk, Jurassic Park)
If they want me, now they'll know where to get me!
I claim everything on their complete list as MY private property and do not authorize their use or duplication thereof without my specific authorization.
Tattoo a © on each cheek and forehead
Long Groucho glasses and fake "staches"....
MAKE-UP! WARDROBE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hats......
Wigs....
WC Fields noses....
I wonder if they have "recognition" capabilities of my erm... face.... from all those filty photos I've posted to craigslist.
LOL. Identify this bitches!
Rx: Go Taliban... Grow facial hair, wear headgear, sunglasses, develop and use several different walking gaits.
Park far from building cameras, use cash, and act casual, relaxed, unassuming. Use basic phones, w/o data plans or GPS.
IOW: Do what corporations do... Use both passive and active Security. Also, create and manage a public persona, and keep your real one private.
Nope, sorry. I am entirely too lazy to do all that. And i bet my husband would be pissed if i grew a beard.
Evil.
It's Baaaacccckkk!
Oh, but they're only tracking the bad guys.
The extension of guilt makes everyone a bad guy.
I wonder if the NSA has a copy of Obama's birth certificate and his college applications.
Undoubtedly they are developing increasingly sophisticated software to sort through this data and make judgements about people. Connect that with drones being controlled by software, put the two together and Skynet is well underway.
We all only need to start wearing breathing masks like mainstream Japan & China. Or better yet, masks that add comical mustaches, teeth, chins and beards. That would confuse the crap out of facial recognition systems and stop it in its tracks.
These fuckers have no right to any of this information.
I refuse to comply.
No picture, no voice online, nothing of that sort.
Do your best to leave no trace. It's not their business & you aren't required by law to GIVE them this information.
Sacrifices are needed with particular choices but it's worth it.