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Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

bbc.co.uk

41–50 of 182 posts

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#41
A key point of 1984 is that behind the screen is a fellow citizen; and that the entire structure of oppression is operated by otherwise-regular citizens.

It's sad that "big brother" has lost the connotation of a citizen-operated panopticon, because I think that concern is far more immediately pressing.

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#44

I can't be the only one thinking we've passed 1984 already?

Is there a telestrator in your living room that will cause you to go to jail if you mutter something negative about the government?

My smart tv spies on me. I think it's helping build my social credit profile that will turn on or off opportunities for me at some point.

Much more sophisticated than jail.

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#45

I can't be the only one thinking we've passed 1984 already?

Is there a telestrator in your living room that will cause you to go to jail if you mutter something negative about the government?

It used to be that if you muttered something about bombs and the president on the telephone, you could get two men in black suits at your door. Social media is monitored more than that, though I don't think you get the same response unless you're going through customs. Or are middle eastern.

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#46
post #26

I don't want to cast the central concern as trivial, because it's real, BUT, c'mon, "beating China in AI is imperative?" Grow up. To "beat" anybody (and for that matter to have any sort of claim to deserving to "win" anything), you would want to "beat China at Not-Being-A-Repressive-Dystopia" wouldn't you? Perhaps including "beating China at Not-Using-AI-To-Be-A-Repressive-Dystopia?"

Survailance and drone swarm assassins are two areas to be concerned about.

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#48

I think it's important to note here that new technologies that have the potential for oppression can be used not only by authoritarian governments but by liberal-democratic ones as well (see: CIA programs, Snowden leaks, etc) and private companies.

Authoritarianism and democracy are not mutually exclusive.

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#49

I can't be the only one thinking we've passed 1984 already?

I personally believe we crossed that Rubicon once we granted the play store our vaccination status, contact tracing strangers etc. That was the undeniable shift towards hard totalitarianism.

The censorship on vaccine talk, questioning election results, woke speak. Seems like they are ramping up aliens to be the next big thing to fear.

Google and Facebook have way more on me than a telestrator ever could. It's almost God like what they can see. They've made deals to share this with the Gov to bypass constitutional limitations.

Re: Microsoft president: Orwell’s 1984 could happen in 2024

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a telestrator in your living room that will cause you to go to jail if you mutter something negative about the government?

Alexa, remind me not to order a telestrator.

I'm sorry. I can't do that, Dave.
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