ICE to see you: Homeland Security's immigration cops tap up Clearview AI to probe child exploitation, cyber-crime

The US Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $224,000 contract to Clearview AI to purchase “information technology components,” in a deal sealed this week. The one-year contract reveals Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Dallas, Texas, will use Clearview’s software. Some four …

[Anonymous Coward]

I am shocked

Shocked!

A shady out of control government agency hiring a shady and out of control contractor?

Surely the President won't let this happen.

[IGotOut]

Re: I am shocked

Next week Blackwater to do" refugee camp" security.

[chivo243]

Everyone is a pedo?

Until proven otherwise? George, I'm sorry...

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Everyone is a pedo?

No just Immigration and Homeland security

[Anonymous Coward]

Someone needs to hack the dataset.

Add in all the photos of politicians, lobbiests, lawyers, and all the other political scum, rerun the training algos, and then see how many results the AI spits out for the cops to go arrest.

[veti]

Re: Someone needs to hack the dataset.

If I could hack the database, I'd randomly change the names and addresses associated with each image, and make sure politicians were well represented in those. Faces - sounds like it might be difficult, but I bet names are stored in a simple table.

[Anonymous Coward]

Won't have to look far...

...to find child exploitation

[Anonymous Coward]

just more bad cops with zero oversight

I would wager that in the (unlikely) event of an audit, ICE officers highest percentage of use with Clearview would be for stalking ex-girlfriends or their new lovers.

This wont end well

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Re: just more bad cops with zero oversight

The only way it will end well is if this sort of garbage is outlawed. We're supposed to be citizens, not suspects.

[William Higinbotham]

Knock Knock. Who's there?

We see how Amazon's AI for offensive posts work. Be ready for a knock at the door, or more like tactical offensive into one's home:-)

[Anonymous Coward]

DHS head has no authority

Except the DHS head has no authority to authorize squat. He isn't legally the head of the DHS, and cannot spend its Congregational approved budget.

Which means you don't have to follow his orders, and following his orders does not save you in any subsequent trial, since you've been made aware that he is not legally in charge of that department.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/congressional-watchdog-finds-acting-dhs-chief-wolf-senior-aide-cuccinelli-n1236735

"The Government Accountability Office said Wolf and Cuccinelli assumed those jobs under an order of succession that was issued by an acting secretary who himself had no authority to hold his job. That former acting head was Kevin McAleenan, who took over after the last Homeland secretary to be confirmed by the Senate, Kirstjen Nielsen, resigned."

My point here is Wolf is the guy Trump's tapped for his militia, and he sent out border police to make unlawful arrests in Portland, hide their badges, shoot moms and journalists in the face. None of those border police have any legal cover for their actions. Wolf is not the head of the DHS.

When you bypass the legal process to appoint your cronies, and they are not legally in charge.

[veti]

Re: DHS head has no authority

If the orders themselves are unlawful, then it makes no difference who issues them - any federal employee would be obligated to refuse them anyway.

If they're not unlawful, then who needs "cover"?