The use of facial recognition technology iscontinuing to expand, despite concerns about itsaccuracy and fairnessand about how it could be used by governments to spy on people. These concerns have been heightened following a report by theFinancial Timeswhich shows that Chinese groups have a significant influence in shaping international standards regarding the technology. Learn more: . The report details how Chinese companies including ZTE, Dahua and China Telecom are proposing standards for facial recognition to the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the body responsible for global technical standards in the telecommunication industry. Usually, the standards set by the ITU are technical in nature, but human rights campaigners say the proposals under discussion in this case are more like policy recommendations. The standards proposed include recommendations for use cases, suggesting that facial recognition can be used by police, by employers to monitor employees, and for spotting specific targets in crowds. The link for this article located at Engadget is no longer available. . Chinese firms are influencing worldwide facial recognition benchmarks amidst worries regarding privacy and equity.. Facial Recognition, Global Standards, Technology Influence, Chinese Companies. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
An international dispute over a wireless computing standard took a bitter turn this past week with the Chinese delegation walking out of a global meeting to discuss the technology. . The delegation's walkout from Wednesday's opening of a two-day meeting in the Czech Republic escalated an already rancorous struggle by China to gain international acceptance for its homegrown encryption technology known as WAPI. It follows Chinese accusations that a U.S.-based standards body used underhanded tactics to prevent global approval of WAPI. "In this extremely unfair atmosphere, it is meaningless for the Chinese delegation to continue attending the meeting," the Standardization Administration of China delegation said in a statement carried by the official Xinhua News Agency. The link for this article located at Excite News is no longer available. . The delegation's walkout from Wednesday's opening of a two-day meeting in the Czech Republic escalat. international, dispute, wireless, computing, standard, bitter. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Even though the United States is a nonvoting member of the Council of Europe, it has pressed hard for the cybercrime treaty as a way to establish international criminal standards related to copyright infringement, online fraud, child pornography and network intrusions. . . . . Even though the United States is a nonvoting member of the Council of Europe, it has pressed hard for the cybercrime treaty as a way to establish international criminal standards related to copyright infringement, online fraud, child pornography and network intrusions. The U.S. Department of Justice says the treaty will eliminate "procedural and jurisdictional obstacles that can delay or endanger international investigations." Civil libertarians have objected to the treaty ever since it became public in early 2000, arguing that it would endanger privacy rights and grant too much power to government investigators. So have industry groups such as Americans for Computer Privacy and the Internet Alliance. They raised concerns that the treaty could limit anonymity or impose vague record-keeping requirements on U.S. Internet providers. "It's a treaty that goes way beyond combating cybercrime," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's technology and liberty program. "It would require nations that participate in the treaty to adopt all sorts of intrusive surveillance measures and cooperate with other nations, even when the act that's being investigated is not a crime in their home country." So far, according to the Council of Europe, only three countries--Albania, Croatia and Estonia--have ratified the treaty. If the Senate approves it, the Bush administration said it believes that because U.S. law already abides by provisions in the treaty, no further legal changes would be necessary. The link for this article located at ZDNet is no longer available. . The U.S. supports a global pact on cybercrime, yet concerns grow over personal privacy safeguards and the reach of government surveillance powers. CybercrimeTreaty, Privacy Rights, International Standards, Internet Regulations. . Anthony Pell
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