Data about your body is up for sale. Who's buying it?
Summary
Science Friday explores the pervasive collection of biometric data through smart devices and surveillance cameras. Privacy attorney Anne Toomey McKenna explains how this information fuels "surveillance capitalism," allowing companies and law enforcement to profile individuals for advertising, insurance, and policing. The discussion highlights the inadequacy of current US privacy laws and argues that even those with "nothing to hide" face significant risks from unregulated data markets and AI-driven micro-targeting.
Topics discussed
Sponsor message from Progressive Insurance
Introduction to pervasive biometric surveillance
Defining biometrics beyond facial recognition
Surveillance ecosystem in cars and public spaces
Surveillance capitalism and the data broker market
AI's role in micro-targeting and loss of anonymity
How face banks and social media data are used
Risks of data collection for insurance and employment
Call for federal privacy regulation and closing
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