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“I don’t think you can make it off the record once you’ve said it – you can’t call dibs after the fact.” - Journalist Philip Corbett  Wearables are defined by their comfort. But there is a lot about wearable technology that is distinctly uncomfortable, if not Orwellian. Wearable computers hit the mainstream with the introduction of Fitbits and smartwatches in the 2010s. Now, says The San Francisco Standard, the rise of artificial intelligence is adding spy tech to the wearable computing family tree. The newest devices are akin to smartglasses but take that technology’s most invasive feature – recording the environment – and turn the creep factor up to 11. The new wearables are stylish and somewhat stealthy and designed to do two things very well: listen and remember. They come in the form of pendants, necklaces, lapel pins – or, in a twist, might even look like a Fitbit or smartwatch. But they are all recording devices capable of capturing the wearer’s every conversation and meeting, then transcribing them, and – the pièce de la résistance – using AI to organize, analyze, and mine them for insights (think personal assistant on steroids, or maybe your very own opposition researcher). In some cases, the devices may only transcribe conversations rather than record them, but they’re still listening and processing conversations, so such distinctions are hardly comforting. The San Francisco Standard suggests that everyone in Silicon Valley should assume that everything they say, especially at work, is being recorded. Which means the rest of America – and its kitchen tables, coffee houses, and classrooms – won’t be far behind. One venture capital partner told the Standard’s writers that she knew a fellow VC who records all in-person meetings “without telling the other meeting participants. It's an invasion of privacy and I seriously disapprove of it." Then, presumably referring to herself and the rest of us would-be audience members, she added, “Of course, this is a horrible way to live your life.” In terms of the privacy concerns raised by this new generation of wearables, Julian Chokkattu of Wired cracked the code. Earlier generations of recording devices and software “at least required active engagement like a tap or a wake word to activate their ability to eavesdrop.” For the most part, the new devices are passive and always on, which places responsibility for gaining consent on the instigator. In other words, “Fox, meet henhouse.” In the research, there are lots of names for the chilling effects that even consensual recording has on conversations, but one of the keenest is “spiral of silence.” People will varnish the truth, if they bother to speak it at all. They will hold back, self-censor, even shut down. As for the possible effects on creativity that this sort of tech might have – as in a brainstorming session, for example – we invite you to judge for yourself. If you think all of this seems like a claim just waiting for a plaintiff, we agree: It’s a one-way express ticket to litigation city. But as with most things AI, the laws governing them are in their infancy and court rulings sparse. One corner of Silicon Valley is already fighting back though: Confident Security is developing Don’t Record Me, a browser plugin that could potentially detect illicit recordings and disrupt them. What about audible cues or flashing lights to indicate that one of these devices is collecting data? Don’t count on it. One entrepreneur told Wired, in effect, “That would drain too much battery life.” Another claims that all you have to do is think about recording to activate his product. Thankfully, for that mode to work, the wearable has to be affixed to the side of your temple with medical tape. But don’t expect other forms of personal surveillance to be so obvious. All the more reason for requiring disclosure for private recording and warrants when government agents listen in on what we say. Comments are closed.
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