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2019-11-18 Science & Technology
Microsoft hires ex-AG Holder to audit Israeli face-scanning firm
[IsraelTimes] Software giant has come under scrutiny over its investment in AnyVision, whose surveillance technology is used to track Palestinians.
Why Eric Holder, of all people?
Microsoft is hiring former US attorney general Eric Inaction Jackson Holder
... aka Mister Fast and Furious...
 to review its investment in an Israeli facial recognition startup that scans faces at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

Microsoft said in a statement Friday that Holder will lead a team of former federal prosecutors conducting an audit.

Its aim is to determine whether Israeli firm AnyVision’s technology applications comply with Microsoft’s ethical principles against using facial recognition for mass surveillance.

Microsoft’s announcement came in the wake of an October 28 MSNBC report on its investment.

AnyVision announced a $74 million investment in June from a group including Microsoft’s venture capital arm.

The firm and its Microsoft backing attracted public scrutiny as the Israeli military installed face scanners at border crossings where Paleostinians enter Israel from the West Bank.

A recent report by Israeli business paper The Marker said that the Israeli military also uses technology provided by AnyVision in cameras dotting the Paleostinian territories. The cameras and database are being used to identify and track potential Paleostinian assailants, the report said.

Another investor in AnyVision is the US semiconductor and telecommunications equipment firm Qualcomm.

AnyVision was founded in 2015 by Eylon Etshtein and Prof. Neil Roberston and has Tamir Pardo, a former head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, on its advisory board, according to its website.
Posted by trailing wife 2019-11-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ]  Top

#1 The good news -- it'll be fast.

The bad news -- it'll be furious.
Posted by charger 2019-11-18 00:26||   2019-11-18 00:26|| Front Page Top

#2 Its aim is to determine whether Israeli firm AnyVision’s technology applications comply with Microsoft’s ethical principles

Microsoft ethics & Holder's ethics.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2019-11-18 01:33||   2019-11-18 01:33|| Front Page Top

#3 This from a company that is a partner in MS-NBC.
Ethics? Spit!
Posted by 3dc 2019-11-18 05:30||   2019-11-18 05:30|| Front Page Top

#4 Facial recognition software works well on faces of ‘white’ people. So you see why Holder was asked to evaluate the ethics of the platform. This is right in his wheel house.
Posted by Airandee 2019-11-18 06:16||   2019-11-18 06:16|| Front Page Top

#5 Microsoft ethics & Holder's ethics.

Isn't that the null set?
Posted by AlanC 2019-11-18 07:43||   2019-11-18 07:43|| Front Page Top

#6 Why Eric Holder, of all people?


He is know as one that moves in US power circles that can be bought.
Posted by DarthVader 2019-11-18 08:41||   2019-11-18 08:41|| Front Page Top

#7 Because he has experience thwarting border security?

comply with Microsoft’s ethical principles

Oh, because race hustle.
Posted by swksvolFF 2019-11-18 16:27||   2019-11-18 16:27|| Front Page Top

#8 ^ Bingo.
Holder is race-hustling ever tech giant that can be cowed. Uber, Google, Microsoft... It's another version of Jesse Jackson's old PUSH race-based shakedown.

Posted by Lex  2019-11-18 16:40||   2019-11-18 16:40|| Front Page Top

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