Real-life "Minority Report" program gets a try-out

CNET via CBSNews.com ^ | October 7, 2011 | Declan McCullagh

[Daffynition]

(CNET)

Updated 2:12 p.m. PT: An internal U.S. Department of Homeland Security document indicates that a controversial program designed to predict whether a person will commit a crime is already being tested on some members of the public voluntarily, CNET has learned.

If this sounds a bit like the Tom Cruise movie called "Minority Report," or the CBS drama "Person of Interest," it is. But where "Minority Report" author Philip K. Dick enlisted psychics to predict crimes, DHS is betting on algorithms: it's building a "prototype screening facility" that it hopes will use factors such as ethnicity, gender, breathing, and heart rate to "detect cues indicative of mal-intent."

[Daffynition]

*We're from the government, and here to help you.*

Peter Boogaard, the deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, provided a statement to CNET that said:

The department's Science and Technology Directorate has conducted preliminary research in operational settings to determine the feasibility of using non-invasive physiological and behavioral sensor technology and observational techniques to detect signs of stress, which are often associated with intent to do harm. The FAST program is only in the preliminary stages of research and there are no plans for acquiring or deploying this type of technology at this time.

[American in Israel]

All the better to cull you with my dear...

[ari-freedom]

but if you’re a young male muslim, we’ll just let you through.

[Diogenesis]

the algorithm is: Democrats and Moslems GO FREE

[allmost]

The cameras captured citizen j flicking a cigarette, Littering. Arrest him, claim success.

[microgood]

Stupid people with too much money.

[MtnClimber]

If they focus this on government employees they will have their hands full.

[Navy Patriot]

using non-invasive physiological and behavioral sensor technology and observational techniques to detect signs of stress, which are often associated with intent to do harm.

It would be wise to mount the sensors securely so they can't be accidentally bumped to point at a government employee.

[Navy Patriot]

Nuts, ya beat me.

[Scotsman will be Free]

Whatever you do, don’t use it on blacks or muslims or it will be called “profiling.”

[jakerobins]

So profiling is wrong....but letting a computer profile people is ok? Guess that makes sense how do you call a computer racist.

[allmost]

GIGO.

[blackdog]

How to create your criminal demographic, while being able to insert any group or mindset into the sorting filter.

How nice.......

At least this will get them to stop encouraging people to rat on neighbors at Walmart for buying shotgun shells and bibles.

[ColdOne]

Yet they will not use this for profiling Amish.

[ColdOne]

At least this will get them to stop encouraging people to rat on neighbors at Walmart for buying shotgun shells and bibles. No it won't.

[tutstar]

bump

[Perdogg]

I am glad the article gave PKD credit.

[Tonytitan]

Stupid people with too much money.

Your tax dollars at idle.

[tutstar]

hey shadow! Just curious, how would a computer call someone racist? Is there ‘code’ for that lol?

though the article itself really isn’t funny....

[bigheadfred]

Obama’s all about change. A penny for your thoughts gets someone to drop dime and you get a nickel in the big house. Obama’s all about change. Iddn’t he. What a wonderful world this will be.