This week we learned about global systems of surveillance and control. On this topic, I would like to talk about China and their evergrowing number of surveillance cameras active in their country.
In an article by ZDNET, I discovered that China has reportedly equipped about 200 million surveillance cameras around their nation. The article stated that this meant there was approximately 1 camera per 7 resident, which I find just insane. Maybe because I am from Australia and this is a foreign concept to me, I am very disturbed by this privacy breach. The cameras are used primarily for traffic controlling issues and security measures, and it is also used to catch criminals with AI technology.
But what can we draw from this installation and new use of technology? Do the positives weighing out the negatives? What can we learn from China and their use of AI technologies?. Human rights activists say the implications of so much surveillance in the hands of an authoritarian regime operating without the rule of law can be a dangerous issue.
I believe this kind of action is not the way to go about things, as it may divide authorities and the civilians, resulting in more crime and issues.
Michelles blog 