Search the World's Smartphone Photos 67
mikejuk writes "Researchers have devised and tested a system called Theia that can perform an efficient parallel search of mobile phones to track down a target photo. It could be used to perform a realtime search for a missing child accidently caught in a photo you have just taken or the location of a criminal or political activist. You might think that the security and privacy aspects were so terrible that you just wouldn't install the app. However exceptional photos of a sporting or news incidents are worth money and the profit motive might be enough for you to install it."
Re:What about security cameras? (Score:2, Informative)
[...] the fear of abuse [...] is mitigated by law and regulations.
No [slashdot.org] it [slashdot.org] isn't. [eff.org]
Giving the government more powerful surveillance toys when they've proven repeatedly that they can't be trusted with the current set is a BADIDEA(TM).