Abstract
This is a humorous illustration by Patrick Chappatte, a Swiss cartoonist, published in the New York Times newspaper. The cartoon is titled "The Age of Facial Recognition." The subject of the cartoon is video surveillance and facial recognition.
Extract
[...] He warns of the dangers of technological progress with a view to raising people's awareness. Chappatte's drawing warns of the risk of this technology becoming commonplace, which is dangerous because people could get used to it. Ironically, he presents the camera as a friendly object that we are familiar with and do not distrust. Chappatte's drawing serves to show that we have entered the era of excessive surveillance with facial recognition. To do this, he uses contrasting colours: the pedestrian crossing in yellow on the right of the drawing allows the pedestrian (the man with the briefcase) to cross and enter the world of facial recognition represented in black and white. [...]
[...] There is currently no consensus on the use of this technology, which can have a major impact on society. Public organisations (CNIL, AINow, etc.), private organisations (Google, Microsoft, etc.) and associations (ACLU, EFF, etc.) often alert public opinion to this issue. Apart from the public camera, however, the drawing does not mention other technological devices that also have facial recognition software, such as mobile phones, computers, applications like Google photos, and so on. Finally, the world is already being watched, even in the domestic and private sphere. [...]
[...] Facial recognition is a technology developed in the 21st century to enhance security. It is used in many developed countries, from authoritarian regimes like China to democracies like the United States. But, unlike other biometric techniques such as fingerprints, facial photographs can be taken without the knowledge or consent of the individual, and from a distance. There is also a risk of data leakage when these images are stored in databases. The legal framework must therefore be rigorous. Facial recognition can be used to identify, trace and authenticate people. [...]
[...] The contrast also lies in the choice of colours: yellow occupies the right-hand side of the drawing, while the left-hand side is in monochrome tones. The artist is tackling a sensitive subject here. The question could be: what are the potential dangers of technological advances such as facial recognition? Chappatte deals with a topical issue that is giving rise to much debate about the balance between security and privacy. It's a subject that concerns moral and political ethics, law and philosophy. Dealing with the subject in a humorous and graphic way helps to defuse tensions. Figurative discourse is often used in art. [...]
[...] The era of facial recognition - Patrick Chappatte (2019) - What are the potential dangers of technological advances such as facial recognition? - Oral This is a humorous illustration by Patrick Chappatte, a Swiss cartoonist, published in the New York Times newspaper. The cartoon is titled "The Age of Facial Recognition." The subject of the cartoon is video surveillance and facial recognition. The drawing is simple but shows many details. The scene takes place in an ordinary street, with no decor. [...]
