Science & Technology

The Shift We Need to Stop Mass Surveillance | Albert Fox Cahn | TED

Mass surveillance is worse than you think, but the solutions are simpler than you realize, says lawyer, technologist and TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn. Breaking down the crude tactics law enforcement uses to sweep up massive amounts of data collected about us by our everyday tech, he lays out how new legal firewalls can protect…

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Mass surveillance is worse than you think, but the solutions are simpler than you realize, says lawyer, technologist and TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn. Breaking down the crude tactics law enforcement uses to sweep up massive amounts of data collected about us by our everyday tech, he lays out how new legal firewalls can protect the public from geofence warrants and other surveillance abuses — and how we might end the looming dystopia of mass surveillance.

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48 Comments

  1. Negma

    September 21, 2022 at 1:02 pm

    ندائي إلي كل مسلم قال عزوجل (قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ) وقال النبى ﷺ(ما نقص مال من صدقة ) رواه مسلم وقال ﷺ ( أنفق يابن آدم ينفق الله عليك) متفق عليه وقال ﷺ:( مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصبِحُ العِبادُ فِيهِ إِلَّا مَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلانِ، فَيَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا )ِ((يا ناس يا امة محمد صارت قلوبكم بلا ﺭﺣﻤﻪ ﻭﻻ ﺷﻔﻘﻪ ﻭﻻ ﺃﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﻪ ﻛﻢ ﺷﻜﻴﺖ ﻭﻛﻢ ﺑﻜﻴﺖ ﻛﻢ ﻧﺎﺩﻳﺖ ﻭﻛﻢ ﻧﺎﺷﺪﺕ ﻭﻟﻜﻦ ﻻ ﺣﻴﺎﺓ ﻟﻤﻦ ﺗﻨﺎﺩﻱ ﻫﻞ ﻳﺮﺿﻴﻜﻢ ﺃﻥ ﺃﺧﻮﺍﻧﻲ ﻳﺒﻜﻮﻥ ﻭﻳﻤﻮﺗﻮﻥ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﻮﻉ ﻭﺃﻧﺘﻢ ﻣﻮﺟﻮﺩﻭﻥ ﻳﻌﻠﻢ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ ﺃﻧﻨﺎ ﻻ ﻧﻤﻠﻚ ﺣﺘﻰ ﻗﻴﻤﺔ ﻛﻴﻠﻮ ﺩﻗﻴﻖ ﺃﺑﻲ ﻣﺘﻮﻓﻲ ﻭﺃﺧﻮﺍﻧﻲ ﺻﻐﺎﺭ ﻟﻴﺲ ﻟﻨﺎ ﺃﺣﺪ ﺃﻗﺴﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ ﺃﻧﻬﻢ ﻧﺎﻣﻮﺍ ﺃﻣﺲ ﺟﻮﻋﺎﻧﻴﻦ ﻭﻫﻢ ﻳﺒﻜﻮﻥ من الالم والولايات ﻳﺎﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ ﻫﻞ ﻳﺮﺿﻴﻜﻢ ﺃﻧﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺃﻣﺲ ﻟﺤﺪ ﺍﻵﻥ ﺑﺪﻭﻥ ﺃﻛﻞ ﻳﺎﺃﺧﻮﺓ الأسلام يافاعلين الخير انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يمنيه نازحين من تعز انا واسرتي بيتنا ايجار الشهرب 14 الف يمني والان علينا 42 الف حق3 شهور وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد يطردنا من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرناندفعله الأجار وما يروح الئ بعدما نبكي ورجعوتكلمو الجيران ومهلنالاخره الأسبوع واذا دفعنا له حلف يمين بالله بيخرجنا إلى الشارع بدون رحمه واحنا.مشردين من بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي واخوتي سغار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا يقف جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه ومامعي اخوان كباره يقفوا معنا في هذا الظروف اخوتي سغار ولكن انا بنت لااستطيع ان اشتغل اقسم بلله ان اخواني خرجوا على للشارع وشافو وشافو الجيران ياكلو راحوا وقفوا عند بابهم لجل يعطوهم ولوخبزه يسد بها جوعهم والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلقو الباب وطردوهم ورجعویبکو ويقولو احنا ليش مااحد يعطينا اكل هل ابونا ايرجع والله يااخي اني ماقدرت ارد عليهم غير بالدموع والله ثم والله ما نجد لقمت عیش والان لوما احدنا ساعدنا في كيلوا دقيق اقسم بالله انموت من الجوع فيا اخي انا دخيله على الله ثم عليك واريد منك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله تحب الخير واتساعدني بقدر الاستطاعه ان تتواصل معي واتساب00967717688908 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير فيا اخي انت رجال إذاشفت اسرتك جاوعين المستحيل من اجل تامن لهم الأكل ولكن انابنت عيني بصيره ويدي قصيره ليس لي أب مثلك يقف جنبي ويحميني من الذل والاهانات واخواني سغار شوف كيف حالتهم وساعدنا وأنقذنا قبل أن يطردونا في الشارع تتبهدل أو نموت من الجوع أنا اقسم بالله الذي رفع سبع سموات بلاعمدوبسط الارض ومهداني لااكذب عليك بحرف من هذا الرساله واني ماطلبتك إلى من ضيق ومن قسوت الضروف والحال الذي احنافيه وانا واسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره ﻳﺎﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻲ ﻋﻨﺪﻩ ﺍﻟﻘﺪﺭﻩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪﺗﻨﺎ لايتاخر علينا لحظه هاذا رقمي واتساب 00967717688908 الذي يقدر يساعدنا يراسلني على الواتساب نرسله ألاسم الكامل يحولنا بقدر استطاعته الله يجزيكم خير….٢٢

  2. KARYTTAH - Rock Band

    September 21, 2022 at 1:03 pm

    -> 😏 Maybe We’re The 1st Spiritist* Pop-Metal Or Rock Band In This World…
    But Don’t Pay Much Attention To Our Neanderthal English, HaHa ❤ HaHa
    *NOTE:
    -> Spiritist is who professes Spiritism, the Gospel continuation
    It has began with the books by Allan Kardec and continued in the books by Francisco C. Xavier, the greatest and more important medium/prophet of spirits of the last centuries…

  3. Red Shutter Photography

    September 21, 2022 at 1:03 pm

    Is it no longer possible to be tracked just by having a mobile phone? I think we shall never be fully free again and that is sad. I wonder if I sold up all my electronic gear, cameras, computers and phones etc let alone fitbit if I’d still ever actually be free.

    • Alexandria Moon

      September 21, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      Tracking is fine. Surveillance is unavoidable.
      That’s what this video was all about.
      We need to enact laws that say they can’t use the Surveillance and tracking against us.

    • Red Shutter Photography

      September 21, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      @Alexandria Moon What is the difference between them as they seem very similar to me and sadly, doubt we will ever get laws that work in our favour, certainly here in the UK the rules are becomin more draconian.

    • Carson Hunt

      September 21, 2022 at 8:33 pm

      @Red Shutter Photography
      Surveillance is the access to the data.
      So for example, google maps always tracks you (even in the background, they have your full location history, how long you are there, etc). That’s the tracking part, they claim “mostly” is for you. The surveillance part is when 3rd parties request access to the data, such as advertisers or authority figures. Like if business knows you’re local route you take to work, they can better target an ad placement for you, etc.

      Anyways, laws have lagged behind technology by decades, and ppl are too complacent these days for anything to ever change.

  4. Grahamaan27

    September 21, 2022 at 1:04 pm

    Blah blah blah. More ted talks I will have to toss in the garbage bin

  5. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝔻𝕦𝕔𝕜

    September 21, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    Always watching..

  6. Yuriel Cundangan

    September 21, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    Trump: Want to see Biden in Prison
    Biden: What makes Trump believe I would visit him in Prison

    • MJ PM

      September 21, 2022 at 1:27 pm

      The irony 🤣

  7. Yuriel Cundangan

    September 21, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    Popular Opinion: Every single one of y’all agrees TeD made our Day much BETTER💥:

  8. Let's be real

    September 21, 2022 at 1:11 pm

    Here, here!

  9. Cassie Angelica

    September 21, 2022 at 1:11 pm

    This is your daily reminder that if you’re an American, your 4th Amendment Rights are destroyed, and have been that way for 2 decades.

  10. Ian Emory

    September 21, 2022 at 1:21 pm

    So while I don’t disagree with him; we absolutely have to stop companies collecting our data

  11. Herman Spaerman

    September 21, 2022 at 1:23 pm

    Surveillance of terror organizations like BLM is just common sense.

  12. апельсиновый сок

    September 21, 2022 at 1:24 pm

    An amazing presentation 💗

  13. Adox Artist

    September 21, 2022 at 1:26 pm

    I’m rooting for a big huge sun storm. Problem solved.

    • LeDumpsterFire

      September 25, 2022 at 6:18 pm

      We’re fairly overdue for a coronal mass ejection, so it may actually happen.

  14. Brian cupper🛍️

    September 21, 2022 at 1:27 pm

    Despite the economic downturn,I’m so happy. I have been earning $ 60,000 returns from my $7,000 investment every 13 day’s…

    • luka Williams

      September 21, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      I can’t believe it☺️ , I just bought a House after I invested $ 5000 and I now make $ 31,500 every 14 days . It’s been a life changing experience🤗

    • Angelina Sheldrick

      September 21, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      Anyone who is not investing now is missing a great opportunity, Imagine investing $1,000 and receiving $7,300 profits. Ms Angelia Maria is the best.

    • Mike randy

      September 21, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      @Brian cupper🛍️ I really want to invest how can I contact her?

    • Brian cupper🛍️

      September 21, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      @Mike randy ນີ້ທີ່ນີ້ລນີ人人 +𝟣𝟪𝟢𝟤𝟤𝟫𝟦𝟥𝟦𝟨𝟩. 🇺🇸人人າທີ່ນີ້ລນີ້👎

    • Brian cupper🛍️

      September 21, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      What’s Apk Messenger👆👆……

  15. Jackie Phillips The Social Pet

    September 21, 2022 at 1:29 pm

    I hate speeches like this. He starts off by saying we are clueless about everything!! I won’t watch anymore!!

    • YoungWolf 567

      September 21, 2022 at 3:10 pm

      Sometiems the truth makes people unconfortable. And thats the point. Look into how police officers can highjack your phone signal to pin point accurately where you are by making your phone conect to their cop cars instead of phone towers. These devices have been used for a long time and not many people realize how that can be a violation of our 4th amendment. The devices can also listen to your calls and extract data from you without you realizing it.

  16. Aqua

    September 21, 2022 at 1:34 pm

    I just think that being tracked won’t do anything to me. I’m tracked.. and…? What? Am I going to die? NO. Will things end up bad with me? NO. In my country there are no crimes…

  17. Madara ram

    September 21, 2022 at 1:44 pm

    We need a department of defense, operating free independently of Prime minister’s and President’s authority and holding THE Executive Direct Management.

    That will uphold protection and servitude of constitutional legitimacy of our individual’s Rights and Freedoms for our daily expressions and mutual liberties round the clock.

    A true Arbitrator that will referee to monitor and supervise all Civil Administative Services, All Institutional communications, Public and Private media broadcasts, foreign network broadcasts,  …

    Working together with Religious Foundations, Science Academias, Business Consultants, Finance strategists and IT Product and Service Standards policymakers for our National and Global Socio Economic Security.

    This will give everyone a fast and flexible synchronous, autonomous and simultaneous; Group to individual and; Individual to group experience functionality, from democratic to meritocratic to technocratic existential growth.

  18. likestohunt758

    September 21, 2022 at 1:47 pm

    This talk vent from interesting to woke so fast

    • julian shepherd

      September 21, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      OK Putin

  19. NYKIRA

    September 21, 2022 at 1:49 pm

    I truly think this speech is so powerful and necessary. Our so called ‘privacy’ is becoming more and more under question as technology advances. My worry has been that because technology is moving towards being biology based, how much privacy will we have in future generations? I believe technology could truly benefit humanity yet the people who make waves in this space hardly have the heart of humanity in mind.

  20. Steven Bradley

    September 21, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    Too late…no more such thing as privacy, that’s why I intend on leaving.

  21. The Crowned One From the Church in the woods

    September 21, 2022 at 2:10 pm

    We’ll all be chipped soon

    • julian shepherd

      September 21, 2022 at 2:45 pm

      you buy your own chip. it is in your phone and try living without one

  22. QuEEn QuiNN

    September 21, 2022 at 2:33 pm

    The Police are true RoBo Cops now and are con’trolled by Computers!
    Our Cell Phone are also “Telephoney” app’droidicided (apple/android guided). Not only are there hidden apps Titled “Telephoney Assist”, there’s also hidden apps Titled ATMWiFiMeta! Hmmmm, wonder what that means?
    Do you by chance use social media like Facebook or Instagram or any of those that are programmed through Meta 2022? If you’re unsure pay close attention to the bottom of your screen when you’re logging in and you’ll see! I think everybody knows what ATM means!
    Hmmmm, maybe it would be wise not to use the ATM machines either! Just something to sit contemplate and think on!

  23. Armando Rubio martinez

    September 21, 2022 at 2:42 pm

    Despite the economic downturn,I’m so happy☺️. I have been earning $ 16,700 returns from my $3,530 investment every 13days.

  24. EYMAN NASSOLE

    September 21, 2022 at 4:16 pm

    Something tells me, if anyone, this guy needs to be monitored (he’s a little off)

    • LeDumpsterFire

      September 25, 2022 at 6:37 pm

      That’s just your societal conditioning speaking. You’ve been both subliminally and consciously taught that people who are different present a danger, because modern society needs generic, complacent mules to take on their labors. Individualism isn’t conducive to that and poses a threat to the system.

    • EYMAN NASSOLE

      September 25, 2022 at 7:30 pm

      @LeDumpsterFire NO, it comes from being experienced in life, ACTUAL LIFE from the past four decades!

    • LeDumpsterFire

      September 25, 2022 at 9:03 pm

      @EYMAN NASSOLE The irony that you’d bring that up is palpable, because that’s yet another baseless aspect of social conditioning: the idea that age breeds wisdom. You could have a century and still have lived less than somebody who’s been around for 1/5th of that time. Time in a bubble doesn’t constitute life experience, wisdom, nor even knowledge.

    • EYMAN NASSOLE

      September 25, 2022 at 9:16 pm

      @LeDumpsterFire the irony is “we” NEVER know who you’re really talking with😉, oh yeah; you come off REALLY pretentious!

    • LeDumpsterFire

      September 26, 2022 at 4:40 am

      @EYMAN NASSOLE That’s essentially what my point was in the first place. Of course, when it’s a stranger directing at you as opposed to you directing at another stranger, it’s “pretentious.” I don’t imagine you’ll see the issue there, but I’d really suggest you try. Might help you gain some perspective and grow as a person.

  25. Psivast

    September 22, 2022 at 2:10 am

    I like how you married the prized relics of our past, constitution, and the promising future, technology, together into one single video about surveillance. A law is truly a good law, when it applies and is true to all political and sociographic factions. No one side or group should be able to benefit or take advantage of a particular law, while everyone else suffers from it. If that makes sense. It gets even more complicated when you combine the element of time to it… past, present, and future. Which is the beauty of our constitutional government. We should be able to still apply the principles and values that were originally developed for our country, but still perform within the bounds of the limitations it outlines, as we progress into the future, and make our country an even more hospitable, prosperous, safe, and free place to live for everyone…and I mean ALL peoples. Hopefully with that in mind, we can help stabilize the world. Hopefully not through militarily minded methods, or coercive practices, but through our example. But, that can only be achieved if we are strong, united, and open minded enough to accomplish the vision that every inhabitant that has lived in these united states has felt and seen, as we wrestle, struggle, and debate mightily the best path forward. Anyway, that’s my 3 cents…minus the one I dropped in the sewer, as I rode my electric bike to this ted talk today… 🙂

  26. ricky

    September 22, 2022 at 10:42 am

    In a world of total surveillance anonymity is the ultimate luxury.

  27. Geraldo Rodrigues

    September 22, 2022 at 10:43 am

    we need laws to stop companies from harvesting our data, and non corrupt legal force to punish them when they break those laws.

  28. Kromeboy

    September 22, 2022 at 10:50 pm

    You need GDPR style legislation.

    Europe is dumping US made Internet services each day. In Italy after a legal dispute is illegal to use Google Analytics on an Italian website because of concerns of mass surveillance by the US government.

    YouTube embed and other kinds of embeds will be probably next.

    US Gov need to stop mass surveillance if american web companies want to operate in Europe.

  29. Kultus

    September 25, 2022 at 9:25 pm

    Agreed

  30. Invox

    September 26, 2022 at 3:37 pm

    That’s why many times when I leave the house I don’t take my phome with me… To commit crime. 😅

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