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microphone to enable voice control of the device (think since 2009) and their massive video surveillance system
Alexa or Siri “lights on”), connected to the network for (which is expected to reach over 600,000,000 cameras
data analysis and control. Now imagine a breach of by this year) demonstrates a level of system integration,
this microphone during an important board meeting, connectivity, data collection, analysis and action never
revealing confidential information to the intruder. before seen in the history of the world.
Further, imagine a microphone, camera and/or sensor
being present in every light fixture throughout the In this dystopian system based on real-time collection of
building, as well as every computer, photocopier, data, possibilities include:
thermostat, door lock and other building systems. Then
add to this scenario: a gigantic data depository with AI • Surveillance showing too much drinking with friends
and machine learning working at the edge and a data could result in a lower score which would deny
warehouse—and the potential for misconduct grows. access to certain forms of transportation
Given the amount of time most working adults spend
inside office buildings, the opportunity for a massive • Jaywalking could result in a digital display of the
surveillance state becomes a possible outcome. offender’s face on a public monitor

A more current example related to COVID-19 are the • An app that shows the social credit score of people
health scanners at building entrances. These gather not in close proximity which results in new forms of
only temperature, but heartrate, blood pressure and other social judgement and interaction
health related data points that are then integrated into
a network, basically giving someone a physical every • Contact tracing in countries without stringent
time they walk through a connected doorway. This has governance means the data could be misused
massive implications for the HIPPA Privacy Rule and
could be misused by insurance companies and anyone In one extreme case, individuals are required to walk
associated with the healthcare system. through facial recognition scanners to enter a market.
The question for building owners in China is whether
This Orwellian nightmare is not only found in an episode or not this surveillance state will continue inside
of Netflix’s Black Mirror but is being built in China as we the building. Tencent, a major tech firm in China,
speak. The combination of the Chinese Social Credit uses facial recognition for employees to access an
Scoring system (which has been under development elevator and pay for lunch. Is this data connected to

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