TGM_Feb20-Mar20 With QA Edits Done

News
Ever Get the Feeling
Like Someone Is
Watching YOU?
Written by Paris Fundunburks
In the name of security, many technology protections have either been lessened or bypassed in recent history. One
area that is under close surveillance is Facial Recognition technology (pun intended). Some feel this technology is for
protection, others feel it is a way for the government to track the common man. Is the rise of this new technology for
the greater good or is this an entry way for the signs that are mentioned in the book of Revelation?
While facial recognition technology (FRT) has been used by government entities for various reasons such as to search
for criminal suspects in a mass shooting, many have seen this technology as a potential violation of people’s rights as
well as something that can be abused by the government as stated by the New York Times and NPR Technology.
For this reason, there have been efforts made to regulate the use of facial recognition technology. Microsoft urged
Congress to write laws for its facial recognition technology in 2019. While Microsoft intends to use their technology
for the government, they want to ensure that boundaries are set in place to secure the rights of Americans.
Similarly, San Francisco recently became the first major U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition technology by the
police and other municipal agencies. The ban was fueled by the concern that this technology would fuel racial bias as
researchers found that the technology made mistakes when identifying specific races and those of darker complexion,
which can be problematic when using it to determine suspects for a crime. According to The New York Times, there
will be strict policies in place to ensure appropriate use of FRT.
While strides are being taken to protect our rights as it pertains to facial recognition technology, our everyday cell
phone use can be just as violating. According to marketplace.org, we give away a lot of information through our phones
by using social media, searching things on the web, and the locations that you go to most frequently. Apps are storing
this information whether they are in use or not, and using it to target specific ads towards you.
With more and more of our personal lives readily available one can only wonder if this is the beginning of the end
times mentioned in Revelation, where “no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name.” (Rev. 13:17) If all of your favorites are being recorded or that purchase that you can’t live
without, imagine how this information can be used against you.
How can you stay in control of what information is being shared? Marketplace.org suggests to be mindful of the
permissions that you install in your phone. This includes location permissions and allowing apps to run in the
background while you are not using them. Both of these things aid towards sharing your personal information and with
proper knowledge on how they work can prohibit the non-permissible releasing of information.
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REFERENCES: https://www.marketplace.org/2019/05/17/is-your-phone-listening-to-your-conv... https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/us/facial-recognition-ban-san-francisco...