psketti wrote:
The article in the OP isn't about those that have commited crimes already. It's about crimes people
may commit at some future point in time.
Companies such as Facebook have begun using algorithms and historical data to predict which of their users might commit crimes.
I fail to see how you don't find the above quote
very disturbing to say the least.
It
is disturbing, but it would be
seriously disturbing if there was some kind of law you could act on.
The 'historical data' they have will be all over the place. For a start, half the people on Facebook use a bastardised version of text speak. Their algorithms will have to understand what people who use highly idiosyncratic spelling are writing. I've seen stuff teenagers post on Facebook that I can barely understand.
Using Facebook for historical data doesn't make much sense. The bicycle example at least has some rationality on the basis that if you commit certain crimes and a certain sort of person you may be more likely to do other crimes. Facebook is not like a CRB check - serious criminally minded people are not usually dumb enough to betray their intent on Facebook. Not talking shit about who said what to who, why person X is a wanker and where you're going out tonight and who's coming. hell, I know of people already having conversations along the lines of wanting some weed, person ex has some, here's their mobile number and...nothing happens (don't try that stupid shit at home though kids!). But on the other hand we know the police will look at Facebook for something serious, like happened with the London riots.
The most worrying part is it only makes sense if it's
political/. Thieves don't click 'like' for Robbing Post Offices and their profile doesn't give any useful info - where you live, where you went to school etc means shit - but people with strong political beliefs will stand out by 'liking' and talking about stuff connected with their beliefs. Otherwise, it's probably going to throw up a bunch of useless data that probably gets hits more by luck than anything else.
I think Night Gaunt is right. People are too unpredictable and this is compounded by Facebook not giving consistent information. I agree it's worrying just because people too clever to know they're stupid will believe it means something profound.
