The Israeli military has reportedly implemented a facial recognition dragnet across the Gaza Strip, scanning ordinary Palestinians as they move throughout the ravaged territory, attempting to flee the ongoing bombardment and seeking sustenance for their families.
The program relies on two different facial recognition tools, according to the New York Times: one made by the Israeli contractor Corsight, and the other built into the popular consumer image organization platform offered through Google Photos. An anonymous Israeli official told the Times that Google Photos worked better than any of the alternative facial recognition tech, helping the Israelis make a “hit list” of alleged Hamas fighters who participated in the October 7 attack.
This would not be the first time Google’s purported human rights principles contradict its business practices — even just in Israel. Since 2021, Google has sold the Israeli military advanced cloud computing and machine learning-tools through its controversial “Project Nimbus” contract.
Unlike Google Photos, a free consumer product available to anyone, Project Nimbus is a bespoke software project tailored to the needs of the Israeli state. Both Nimbus and Google Photos’s face-matching prowess, however, are products of the company’s immense machine-learning resources.
The sale of these sophisticated tools to a government so regularly accused of committing human rights abuses and war crimes stands in opposition to Google’s AI Principles. The guidelines forbid AI uses that are likely to cause “harm,” including any application “whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.”
No they kidnap random people from Gaza that get recognized in some system. There was a journalist that had nothing to do with Hamas and was recognized by the israel system and kidnapped by the IDF. He was only freed because of outrage. Many others get kidnapped and tortured by the IDF and the IDF even cuts their arms and legs off.
Wouldn’t be surprised, considering who they (EDIT: IDF) are friends with, but a source for that?
Israeli doctor at detention facility says grim conditions ‘break the law’
Israel puts their zip ties on so tight that blood flow gets restricted killing off the arms and legs. The IDF amputates multiple limbs a week from their hostages which often have nothing to do with Hamas.
Holy shit. You know, like 9 years ago I was thinking about repatriation to Israel. Like 7 years ago I went on a trip there and, eh, realized it’s a real country with problems and I’m also not sure I like some things about it.
But still so glad I didn’t repatriate.