All over the world, camcorders have become an accepted feature of urban life. Many cities in China now have dense networks, and London and New Delhi are not far behind.
Now France is playing catch-up. Since 2015, the year of the Bataclan terrorist attacks, the number of cameras in Paris has quadrupled. Police have used these cameras to enforce pandemic blockade measures and monitor protests.
Concern has spread across the country. But the deployment of surveillance has met with special resistance in Marseille, the second largest city in France. Last year, President Emmanuel Macron announced that 500 more security cameras would be handed over to the city council and placed in an area of the city that is home to a large number of immigrants.
The bustling and rebellious Mediterranean city is located in some of the faults that run through modern France. Known for fashion bars, artist studios and home centers, it is also known for drugs, poverty and criminal activity. It is not surprising, perhaps, that activists are fighting the cameras, highlighting the excess and low performance of the surveillance system. But are they succeeding? Read the whole story.
“Macdonald’s flower.”
Mandatory readings
I combed the Internet to find the funniest / most important / scary and fascinating stories about technology.
1 One of Google’s engineers believes that his AI is sensitive
It is almost non-existent, but this has not stopped a new round of speculation and debate in the research community. (WP $)
+ Google’s vice president believes the web is moving toward awareness. (Economist $)
+ Machine awareness is the debate that never goes away. (MIT Technology Review)
+ Text to image AI DALL-E struggled to draw a self-portrait. (motherboard)
2 The boom and bust of digital twins
Experimenting with digital copies of everything from vital organs to planet Earth can help simulate disasters. (BBC)
+ How digital twins help overcome the nightmare of the world’s supply chain. (MIT Technology Review)
3 We are making the world too bright
And it is harming our wildlife. (The Atlantic $)
4 Leading a mission in deep space is even more stressful than you can imagine
New problems arise every day. (Slate $)
+ A rocket carrying two NASA satellites could not go into orbit on Sunday. (Space)
5 Meta is investigating how Sheryl Sandberg used the company’s resources
Mainly in relation to his personal projects, including the promotion of his second book. (WSJ $)
6 A microchip testing more than 200 viruses could be on the horizon
Molecular electronics could accelerate the discovery of drugs, if they work. (Neo.Life)
+ This startup wants to make electronics from individual molecules. (MIT Technology Review)
+ Physician registration software has been collecting user data for marketing. (WP $)
7 Even with the TV turned off, some ads continue to play on real-time playback services
Which is a complete waste of money for advertisers. (WSJ $)
8 It is harder than ever to be a father in America
But it’s worth remembering that the kids themselves are still incredibly resilient. (Vox)
9 Facebook groups are used to engage young Pakistanis
After the country banned the most conventional dating apps, including Tinder. (Rest of the world)
+ There is a growing backlash against applications around the world. (The Guardian)
10 Like it or not, we are all influencers now
And the endless effort to appease the algorithm makes us anxious. (Real life)
Appointment of the day
“It took me hours to figure out what it was, why I was crying. I realized I was in pain. I was mourning the destruction of the Earth.”
