Adobe Provides facial recognition Software for DHS and ICE (opens in new tab)

(fbo.gov)

42 pointsinsiderinsider6y ago22 comments

22 comments

Where does it say they provide facial recognition software? I looked through the attached "Limited Sources Justification" PDF and the three areas they claim to be using Adobe software for are "Digital Media" (this is Acrobat and Reader), "Digital Marketing" (Creative Suite) and "Digital Meetings".

Maybe this is the wrong contract??

twhitmore6y ago

Agree -- I scanned this myself, looking for the 'Facial Recognition' mentions. Broadly this seems a justification to purchase Adobe by brand (rather than competitive tendering) for Digital Media, Digital Marketing, and Digital Meeting functionalities.

Pretty hi-tech stuff, but from what I could gather "Digital Media" means using Acrobat/ Reader for forms.

Much as I dislike Adobe, there doesn't seem much going on here.

duncan-donuts6y ago

The only thing I can come up with is there is a part that says something like “user-facing, business-facing” which seems like what may have been confused? The LSG only talks about using well known adobe products.

https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=6f4e5737cc7bd661210bf56766...

benologist6y ago

They put money-recognition into Photoshop in the past -

https://petapixel.com/2011/08/09/heres-what-happens-when-you...

So perhaps they are putting facial-recognition in too?

https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/14/18678782/adobe-machine-le...

rammy12346y ago

If this is wrong why is this not still taken out ?

jaboutboul6y ago

Where does this discuss facial recognition? All I see is information related to the standard Adobe products, Acrobat/PDF, Creative Suite and others. They may be used in support for a facial recognition application but that’s all I see.

nwrk6y ago

The title is false. There is no mention of facial recognition.

natalyarostova6y ago

Great. Glad American software companies are working with our government to help enforce our laws!

manigandham6y ago

It's perfectly legal and fine for companies to provide products and services to their home governments. What's the issue here?

ndespres6y ago

Ok, but sometimes our moral compass points away from these things and we need to make hard decisions to do the right thing.

manigandham6y ago

Then change the government. This proxy war against corporations is just silly.

2 more replies

adamnemecek6y ago

Legal maybe, moral idk, given what they do.

manigandham6y ago

If there's a morality issue, that should be directed at the government.

3 more replies

someonehere6y ago

I like how people are being trained Pavlovian style to go after tech companies that provide services to alphabet agencies with this administration. Did people complain with the last administration? Will people complain with the next administration?

Whether you agree or not with the current administration, the government still needs to operate and keep in line with technology. If you are angry with how DHS and ICE operate, what do you propose? Jeopardize the safety Americans for what benefit?

manigandham6y ago

HN/Silicon Valley/tech is extremely left-leaning but seems to forget that SV was borne out of warfare. It has close ties to the military from research to investment and many of our advanced technologies today are from defense projects.

Complaining about such things is usually a luxury by people who have never experienced the serious crime and poverty that exists in the world and afflicts billions everyday. In a way, it's a good thing that life can be so comfortable, but it also causes a loss in perspective.

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