Your Face Belongs To Us By Kashmir Hill

Episode

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20241216

20241217 (R4)

What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo?

When the US journalist Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were startling, and worrying. She set out to find out who were the people behind Clearview and just who was using its technology.

The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world.

Today Clearview AI declares that it has a database of 50 billion facial images sourced 'from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and many other open sources.' Your face may well belong to them.

Your Face Belongs To Us was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science book prize 2024 and described by the Financial Times as 'A parable for our times'. According to The Economist, 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again.

The author, Kashmir Hill, is an award-winning technology reporter at The New York Times. She is interested in how technology is shaping our lives and impacting our privacy, and has written for publications including The New Yorker, The Washington Post and Forbes.

Written by Kashmir Hill

Read by Julianna Jennings

Abridged and produced by Jill Waters

The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4

A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology.

The author, a NYT journalist, receives a tip-off, and so begins an investigation into Clearview AI and a revealing account of the power of facial recognition technology.

[LISTEN NOW]

20241217

20241218 (R4)

What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo?

The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world.

Written by Kashmir Hill

Read by Julianna Jennings

Abridged and produced by Jill Waters

The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4

A young Australian-Vietnamese entrepreneur arrives in San Francisco ready to code.

A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology.

The development of neural networks in academia paved the way for facial recognition apps and ultimately Clearview AI.

[LISTEN NOW]

20241218

20241219 (R4)

What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo?

The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world.

Written by Kashmir Hill

Read by Julianna Jennings

Abridged and produced by Jill Waters

The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4

Clearview AI and Hoan Ton-That are on the hunt for images of faces, and investors.

A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology.

The improved software needed a database of faces to ‘practice on'. How millions of photos got scraped from the internet without the knowledge or permission of their owners.

[LISTEN NOW]

20241219

20241220 (R4)

What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo?

The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world.

Written by Kashmir Hill

Read by Julianna Jennings

Abridged and produced by Jill Waters

The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4

Law enforcement becomes enthusiastic about using facial recognition technology.

A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology.

Police forces across the USA begin to sign up to use Clearview. But civil rights organisations are less enthusiastic and concerns about privacy are raised.

[LISTEN NOW]

20241220

20241221 (R4)

What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo?

The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world.

Written by Kashmir Hill

Read by Julianna Jennings

Abridged and produced by Jill Waters

The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4

The implications of facial recognition software for the right to a private life.

A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology.

Citizens and governments, in the UK and worldwide, now have to balance the advantages of facial recognition in fighting crime against infringing the privacy of individuals.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	20241216	20241217 (R4)	What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When the US journalist Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were startling, and worrying. She set out to find out who were the people behind Clearview and just who was using its technology. The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world. Today Clearview AI declares that it has a database of 50 billion facial images sourced 'from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and many other open sources.' Your face may well belong to them. Your Face Belongs To Us was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science book prize 2024 and described by the Financial Times as 'A parable for our times'. According to The Economist, 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again. The author, Kashmir Hill, is an award-winning technology reporter at The New York Times. She is interested in how technology is shaping our lives and impacting our privacy, and has written for publications including The New Yorker, The Washington Post and Forbes. Written by Kashmir Hill Read by Julianna Jennings Abridged and produced by Jill Waters The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4 A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology. The author, a NYT journalist, receives a tip-off, and so begins an investigation into Clearview AI and a revealing account of the power of facial recognition technology. [LISTEN NOW]
02	20241217	20241218 (R4)	What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When the US journalist Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were startling, and worrying. She set out to find out who were the people behind Clearview and just who was using its technology. The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world. Today Clearview AI declares that it has a database of 50 billion facial images sourced 'from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and many other open sources.' Your face may well belong to them. Your Face Belongs To Us was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science book prize 2024 and described by the Financial Times as 'A parable for our times'. According to The Economist, 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again. The author, Kashmir Hill, is an award-winning technology reporter at The New York Times. She is interested in how technology is shaping our lives and impacting our privacy, and has written for publications including The New Yorker, The Washington Post and Forbes. Written by Kashmir Hill Read by Julianna Jennings Abridged and produced by Jill Waters The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4 A young Australian-Vietnamese entrepreneur arrives in San Francisco ready to code. A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology. The development of neural networks in academia paved the way for facial recognition apps and ultimately Clearview AI. [LISTEN NOW]
03	20241218	20241219 (R4)	What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When the US journalist Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were startling, and worrying. She set out to find out who were the people behind Clearview and just who was using its technology. The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world. Today Clearview AI declares that it has a database of 50 billion facial images sourced 'from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and many other open sources.' Your face may well belong to them. Your Face Belongs To Us was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science book prize 2024 and described by the Financial Times as 'A parable for our times'. According to The Economist, 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again. The author, Kashmir Hill, is an award-winning technology reporter at The New York Times. She is interested in how technology is shaping our lives and impacting our privacy, and has written for publications including The New Yorker, The Washington Post and Forbes. Written by Kashmir Hill Read by Julianna Jennings Abridged and produced by Jill Waters The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4 Clearview AI and Hoan Ton-That are on the hunt for images of faces, and investors. A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology. The improved software needed a database of faces to ‘practice on'. How millions of photos got scraped from the internet without the knowledge or permission of their owners. [LISTEN NOW]
04	20241219	20241220 (R4)	What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When the US journalist Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were startling, and worrying. She set out to find out who were the people behind Clearview and just who was using its technology. The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world. Today Clearview AI declares that it has a database of 50 billion facial images sourced 'from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and many other open sources.' Your face may well belong to them. Your Face Belongs To Us was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science book prize 2024 and described by the Financial Times as 'A parable for our times'. According to The Economist, 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again. The author, Kashmir Hill, is an award-winning technology reporter at The New York Times. She is interested in how technology is shaping our lives and impacting our privacy, and has written for publications including The New Yorker, The Washington Post and Forbes. Written by Kashmir Hill Read by Julianna Jennings Abridged and produced by Jill Waters The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4 Law enforcement becomes enthusiastic about using facial recognition technology. A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology. Police forces across the USA begin to sign up to use Clearview. But civil rights organisations are less enthusiastic and concerns about privacy are raised. [LISTEN NOW]
05	20241220	20241221 (R4)	What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When the US journalist Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were startling, and worrying. She set out to find out who were the people behind Clearview and just who was using its technology. The story of this tiny start-up and the powerful tool it built is accompanied by accounts of how it has been used for good and for ill, across the world. Today Clearview AI declares that it has a database of 50 billion facial images sourced 'from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and many other open sources.' Your face may well belong to them. Your Face Belongs To Us was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science book prize 2024 and described by the Financial Times as 'A parable for our times'. According to The Economist, 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again. The author, Kashmir Hill, is an award-winning technology reporter at The New York Times. She is interested in how technology is shaping our lives and impacting our privacy, and has written for publications including The New Yorker, The Washington Post and Forbes. Written by Kashmir Hill Read by Julianna Jennings Abridged and produced by Jill Waters The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4 The implications of facial recognition software for the right to a private life. A tip-off begins an investigation into the power of facial recognition technology. Citizens and governments, in the UK and worldwide, now have to balance the advantages of facial recognition in fighting crime against infringing the privacy of individuals. [LISTEN NOW]