Technology
Washington Democratic Summit Looks to Control Authoritarian Surveillance Tech
The fueled tension between Washington and Beijing marched into new territory as the U.S. expressed plans on Thursday to take measures to curb exports of surveillance tech and a diversified list of innovations, used by governmental authorities to suppress human rights.
The Biden Administration’s soon to be occasioned initiative will be initiated with U.S. allied nations. The initiative’s sole purpose is to govern a code of conduct to heighten coordination in export-licensing policies between these counties, as they share information on critical innovations adopted for usage against political dissidents, journalists, foreign government officials, and human rights activists.
Set for an initial announcement in the preliminary Summit for Democracy, a virtual assembling on December 9-10 and will include 111 democratic nations aiming to unify efforts against authoritarianism, with the exclusion of China and Russia.
“On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden will host a virtual summit for leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector. The summit will focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies and will provide a platform for leaders to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms, and initiatives to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad,” the U.S. Department of State site explained.
From their part, both China and Russia publicized their discontent with the initiative and the Summit, highlighting it will spark global tension, by stoking up “ideological confrontation and a rift in the world.”
On Thursday, a senior Biden Administration official revealed in a briefing with reporters that the global development of surveillance tech has triggered American attention, which paved the way for these efforts.
“Technology is being misused by governments to surveil and, in some cases – as in the case of the PRC – to control their population,” the official addressed the issue in reference to China.
According to The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets, the U.S. played a significant part in providing China with surveillance tech to create its network to embark upon political protestors and ethnic minorities in the country, such as the northwestern Xinjiang territory.
Under former President Donald Trump’s Administration, the Department of State vocalized its immense disapproval against the ethnic group, labeling it a “genocide and crimes against humanity.” At the time, the administration demanded hasty actions against China’s mass repression campaign, with a call for action from international powers.
Beijing’s standpoint on the matter was contradictory to that of the U.S. and international opinion, as it renounced such accusations of abusing human rights in Xinjiang. As it rushed to its defense, Beijing rejected the genocide definition, stating these actions are deemed necessary on its part to counteract hostility from religious extremists in China.
In parallel, some of the U.S. tech companies that delivered their product to China for surveillance purposes, extracted themselves from any probable colluding allegations with Beijing, saying it has no power over the manners its innovations are being used after delivery.
In its Thursday announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration emphasized the vitality of halting the ever-growing adoption of technologies used to repress human rights, demanding a hasty implementation of a multilateral approach on the matter.
“This is a group of like-minded governments who will commit to working together to determine how export controls could better monitor and, as appropriate, restrict the proliferation of such technologies given their increasing misuse by end-users in human rights abuses,” a different administrative official stated.
While the Administration has yet to uncover the list of countries to join the effort against such conduct, but officials close to the matter revealed that it could include 42 members from the Wassenaar Arrangement – an export-control program for weapons and sensitive technologies.
The participants’ group includes some of the U.S. closest allies in Europe, North America, East Asia, and Russia.
The U.S. strategic plan to impose more authority on American – Chinese technological dealings could reach a new scale, with the tug of power shifting between Washington and Beijing. Washington is implementing strict measures to fulfill its vision of heightening its global supremacy by facing Chinese actions with exhaustive repression to escalate its sovereignty worldwide.
The United States sanctions on Chinese technological operations with the consistent application have played a vital role and shifting geopolitical powers between the East and West. In 2018, federal agencies were forbidden from purchasing and using specific digital components from Chinese companies.
The Defense Authorization Act was signed by former President Donald Trump and went into effect in 2020. The Act incorporates a variety of innovations with a “substantial or essential component of any system,” in addition to technologies implemented to route or view users’ data.
Now, in contradiction to the Defense Authorization Act, at least three U.S. federal agencies, including the United States Armed Forces, acquired Chinese video surveillance equipment banned in these federal entities under the Act.
According to TechCrunch and news site IPVM, the federal entities paid out thousands of dollars on obtaining equipment manufactured by a Dahua Technology subsidiary, Lorex.
It is worth mentioning that Dahua is one of many Chinese companies banned from conducting business with U.S.-based firms or agencies as it was included in the economic trade restrictions list earlier in 2019. This motive for the American restriction on the company was driven by its alleged link to Xinjiang ethnic suppression.
Despite the ban taking effect in 2019, these federal agencies submitted purchases from these manufacturers after the Act came into effect, with hundreds of official records demonstrating how these entities acquired Lorex equipment from federal contractors.
Referring to the records, TechCrunch highlighted that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) paid in May 2021 for nine Lorex hard drives to be implemented into its systems for surveillance purposes, via a D.C.-based supplier, I.S. Enterprises.
Katherine Pfaff, a DEA representative, disclosed that the purchases were conducted via a governmental shopping portal, driven by the General Services Administration (GSA). When questioned about the role of the GSA, Pfaff held back from further elaborating and refused to publicize whether the Lorex equipment have been extracted from federal systems.
“GSA has multiple means to vet vendors and products sold on GSA Advantage in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Moreover, contractors must comply with the clauses and provisions found in the FAR requiring them to state whether they sell covered technology Products confirmed to be non-compliant are removed from GSA Advantage,” GSA spokesperson Christina Wilkes said in an email.
In addition, records from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) also unveiled that a Department of Defense agency supervising the entity’s monetary management and purchasing service members, also bought video surveillance tech from the banned Chinese manufacturer.
The White House’s latest initiatives to work with allied nations have placed China on global scrutinizing adherence to halt back Beijing’s technological growth on an international level. With export control, and the soon-to-be-conducted Summit for Democracy, diversified opportunities could unleash fundamental global unity for Democratic renewal against Beijing’s conduct and technological expansion.
What is biometric identification? It is the process through which unique biological characteristics are used in biometric identification to recognize and validate a person. These characteristics can be found in facial traits, eye structures, DNA, fingerprint patterns, and even handwriting. All this data that can be gathered on an individual inevitably brings up the ethical issues in biometrics that need to be addressed.
Facial recognition and fingerprint scans were previously the domain of security, and they were utilized for identification and law enforcement. However, increasingly more business and civil applications are using biometrics authentication. Due to this increased use, it is crucial to address the moral and ethical issues in biometrics when used in the creation of new application and technology.
Applied biometrics and corporate ethics have received little empirical study despite the widespread use of biometric technologies. As a result, there is plenty of room for future study to help us better comprehend the moral consequences of adopting this technology.
This article examines the ethical concerns associated with the use of biometric technology on the use of biometrics for non-security applications as well as the moral ramifications for business.
Ethical Issues in Biometrics and Privacy
Biometric data takes privacy concerns to a whole new level that typical data gathering only touches on. Digital identities can be forged, and anonymity on the web can be maintained to a degree if you know how. Also, digital data can be deleted – if we forget that Meta (Facebook) has been revealed to store deleted data, which is an ethical concern in itself.
The problem with biometric data is that it is unforgeable, unconcealable, and permanent, You can’t change your eye structure, your fingerprint, or your facial features. Big tech companies already have your face, fingerprints, and your voice recorded and stored via current biometric authentication systems – mainly used for unlocking your phone. That data will be there forever, and there is little that people can do about it besides avoid it In the first place.
While many companies still give users the option of using a good old fashion passcode to unlock their phones, as technology as a whole tends to do, the biometric alternative is slowly gaining more traction, and will one day become the norm, as it is hard to argue its convenience and security. You can’t accidentally leave your eyeball at home or forget your fingerprint. But in the same sense, you can’t change it. If your childish curiosity while browsing the web put a black spot on your record, there’s no changing that.
Therein lies the question of who if anyone should have access to such data. Today’s tech giants have all our data in their hands, that won’t change with the spread of biometric verification methods. Indeed, it will only increase targeting capabilities.
While the collection of biometric data on its own does not necessarily mean it will be shared, monetized, or abused in any way, it never the less requires clear and strict guidelines and regulations to be implemented around it. There are too many things that can be abused by the wrong party when the ethical issues in biometrics are not taken seriously, and if such limitations are not applied stringently.
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The Reno line of smartphones has always had a fantastic camera and an attractive design. The Reno 8 and 8 Pro include a 120Hz AMOLED display, the newest Dimensity chipsets, 80W fast charging, a 32-megapixel front camera, and triple 50-megapixel back cameras, among other notable features that make the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro high-quality yet affordable option for anyone.
Here we compare the two latest Oppo phone series iterations and see what to expect from the flagship Oppo smartphone, and how the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno Pro stack up against each other.
Oppo Reno 8 Specifications
The Oppo Reno 8 has a smaller 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 by 2,400 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It also runs Android 12 with ColorOS 12.1 on top. Additionally, the display has an 800 nits maximum brightness and a 20:09 aspect ratio. An octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage are all found within the Oppo smartphone.
The Reno 8 has a triple back camera configuration for pictures and movies, with a 50-megapixel main sensor and an f/1.8 lens as its focal point. Additionally, there is a 2-megapixel macro camera with a 112-degree field of view and an 8-megapixel sensor coupled with an f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens.
The Reno 8 offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connection options. An accelerometer, light, gyroscope, magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors on board. For biometric verification, the phone also has a fingerprint sensor hidden behind the display. A 4,500mAh battery inside the Oppo Reno 8 supports 80W Super Flash Charge quick charging. The phone weighs 179 grams and has dimensions of 160 x 73.4 x 7.67mm.
Oppo Reno 8 Pro Specifications
A 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,412) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection is included with the Oppo Reno 8 Pro. Running on top of Android 12 is ColorOS 12.1. Additionally, the display supports HDR10+ and is certified by Netflix HD, Amazon HDR, SGS Low Motion Blur, and SGS Low Blue Light. The MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC, which has eight cores, and up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM power the smartphone. Storage on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is UFS 3.1 capable of up to 256GB.
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro boasts a triple rear camera arrangement with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 main sensor and an f/1.8 lens, an 8-megapixel sensor and an ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 112-degree field of view, and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Along with the MariSilicon X NPU, the phone’s camera will offer generally better performance in both bright and dim light. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera sensor with an f/2.4 lens for taking selfies and making video calls.
The phone has 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connectivity options. An accelerometer, a light meter, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors built into the phone. For biometric authentication, the phone also contains a fingerprint sensor underneath the touchscreen. The smartphone has a 4,500mAh battery that supports rapid charging at 80W Super Flash Charge. The phone weighs 183 grams and has dimensions of 161 x 74.2 x 7.34mm.
Both the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro are prime smartphones that can fit any user’s preferences and can be considered premium smartphones on the cheaper side. If you like photography, you will be satisfied with the level of quality overall, but keep in mind that neither phone is particularly water resistant, so be careful where you take it.
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Many prefer the rumbling ‘vroom’ of a gasoline car to the soft hum of an electric vehicle, while others would rather just be satisfied in the knowledge that they are lessening their carbon footprint. Let’s look at the cold hard facts however, and compare electric cars vs gas cars
Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Components
The amount of moving components is an important distinction between electric and gasoline-powered automobiles. While a gasoline-powered car contains hundreds of moving components, an electric vehicle just has one, the motor. Another significant distinction is that the electric car has fewer moving components. The electric car is more dependable and needs less routine maintenance. The maintenance needed for a gasoline-powered car ranges from routine oil changes, filter replacements, tune-ups, and exhaust system repairs to less frequent component replacements including water and fuel pumps, alternators, and so on.
Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Maintenance
The expenses associated with maintaining an electric car are reduced since there are less maintenance requirements. The shaft, the only moving component of the electric motor, is extremely dependable and needs little to no maintenance. The controller and charger are electrical devices that require minimal to no maintenance because they have no moving components. Modern sealed lead acid batteries are maintenance free and utilized in electric cars nowadays. However, these batteries have a finite lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced. New batteries are being developed to increase the range of electric cars as well as the battery pack’s lifespan, perhaps eliminating the need to replace the battery pack throughout the course of the vehicle’s lifespan.
Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Efficiency
In addition to being simpler and less expensive to repair than gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are also more cost-effective to run. The electric car will drive roughly 43 miles for $1 based on the efficiency of 3 miles/kwhr and the cost of power at 7 cents per kwhr. The gasoline-powered car will go roughly 18 miles based on the average gas mileage of 22 miles per gallon and the price of gasoline at $1.25 per gallon. As a result, an electric car may drive more than twice as far on a dollar’s worth of petrol.
Where Electric Falls Behind
There are still a number of difficulties for the owner of an electric car despite the fact that it will be less expensive to operate and maintain.
The primary issue is the restricted range offered by existing battery technology. The amount of driving distance possible utilizing the current batteries is between 50 and 150 miles. These ranges are being extended by new battery technologies, and prototypes of these batteries have shown ranges of up to 200 miles between recharging. Solar powered charging stations are being implemented in numerous places to decrease range anxiety towards electric vehicles
The lack of qualified service professionals to repair and maintain electric cars is another issue that faces their owners. A two-year associate degree program has been developed to train high school graduates to become proficient electric vehicle technicians, and training programs are being developed and made available to upgrade the conventional automotive technician with the skills needed to maintain an electric vehicle.
Infrastructure to recharge the batteries is also required. The most important component of the infrastructure for recharging already exists: electric power is accessible practically everywhere. To support the electric car, it is still necessary to guarantee that charging stations with the right sorts of service (i.e., maximum voltage and current) are placed in important areas. Plans must also be made.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.
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Ian Terblanche, Global Strategic Sales & Channel Director at Sigfox
