Mapping the Impact of Fusion
Data-extracting technology is everywhere. From smartwatches to CCTV cameras, we are surrounded by devices that capture revealing information about our behaviors, interests, beliefs, and location.
In isolation, one or two of these datapoints may seem inconsequential. But what happens when a technology automates analysis of the data we create as we go about our lives? Explore the impact of data fusion by accessing the interactive tool below.
What's at stake?
Recent years have witnessed the quiet and widespread adoption by law enforcement of automated software tools for correlating and fusing surveillance data from a widening web of sources. The civil liberties implications of these novel systems are significant, particularly with respect to freedom, security, and human rights.
In the years ahead, the rapid expansion of the surveillance ecosystem that feeds these fusion networks—including private location data, biometric collection tools, and automated video analytics (including facial recognition)—will drive growing demand for such fusion technologies. Ongoing advances in AI, computing, and connectivity are likely to make these fusion systems more automated and predictive, but also potentially more unpredictable and biased.
Additional Resources on Data Fusion
Ethics Accelerator Convenings on Data Fusion
Workshop 1
May 17, 2023
Convene
New York, NY
Workshop 2
February 14, 2024
Carnegie Council
New York, NY
Accelerating ethics to keep pace with emerging tech
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