Microsoft Pitches Technology That Can Read Facial Expressions at Political Rallies

“Realtime Crowd Insights” is an Application Programming Interface (API), or a software tool that connects web applications to Microsoft’s cloud computing services. Through Microsoft’s emotional analysis API — a component of Realtime Crowd Insights — applications send an image to Microsoft’s servers. Microsoft’s servers then analyze the faces and return emotional profiles for each one.

In a November blog post, Microsoft said that the emotional analysis could detect “anger, contempt, fear, disgust, happiness, neutral, sadness or surprise.”

But the use of facial analysis at political events is eerily reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, where the government monitors faces for any sign of dissatisfaction, or “facecrime.” In Orwell’s world, “to wear an improper expression on your face (to look incredulous when a victory was announced, for example) was itself a punishable offense.”

Microsoft’s Realtime Crowd Insights could potentially pick out the stern faces of dissenters, or angry faces of future protestors, all in a matter of seconds.

Here's how George Orwell described a facecrime in 1984

It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself -- anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide. In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face (to look incredulous when a victory was announced, for example) was itself a punishable offence. There was even a word for it in Newspeak: facecrime, it was called.
-- George Orwell, 1984

The mindset behind the TSA will bring this 1984 nightmare.

Robyn, there's no excuse for the lack of logic and critical thinking in your situation. The TSA agent screened you as a man, and you passed. Which meant, obviously, you weren't carrying a damn gun, bomb, or anything else those porno machines are suppose to warn on. At that point, whether you are female, male, or Martian should make no difference, IMO. Just pure political theater meant to add to the fear and anxiety of America's populace.

I haven't flown since 9/11, and not because I'm afraid of mad bombers. Seeing the military with guns at the ready policing our airports afterwards killed any desire I had for flying. I saw too much of a police state developing back then. Now, those trained military soldiers have been replaced with basically minimum wage, pedantic, by-the-book-don't-use- your-brain idiots. Granted, common sense is a precious commodity in the United States anymore, but it's like they go out of their way to seek out these kinds of people. And I say that, knowing that there MUST be some caring TSA agents out there someplace... I've just never heard of any! The "system" doesn't seem to support the personality type.

My body is full of metal; so much so, I set off Gordman's alarm when I ENTERED the building! There is just NO WAY I'm going to fly, knowing what I'll have to go thru. I'm a rape survivor. And while it happened decades ago, there are triggers that'll set me off. And the TSA situation would definitely be one of those triggers! They also make no allowances for women with my experience.... or people like me, who depend on titanium and other metals to hold our bodies together from the inside!

And beyond that... on sheer principle alone... I object. You walk into an airport (and too many other places these days) and it's a constitution-free zone. You are automatically assumed guilty and it's up to you to prove you're innocent.

I'm so sorry you must fly; I just pray I'm never placed in a HAVE-TO position, myself. The government infringes on my freedoms, especially my freedom of movement, because I will not permit myself to be scanned naked, treated as a criminal, and basically strip searched.

There is something VERY wrong here...

The experience you describe is horrific. I'm crying as I read what you went through. No one should ever be dehumanized like that.

A sincere question: If I were in line next to you at the airport and realized that this was happening, would it be helpful if I spoke up? Or would it make things worse for you if I stood with you or vocally objected or in some way expressed my belief that trans people should not be mistreated this way?

I know you can't speak for all trans people, but I'm curious if there's anything that might be helpful in the moment. Sometimes, I want to start screaming at the perpetrators when I witness injustice or mistreatment, but I've learned that my "help" can sometimes make things worse for the person being oppressed.

If you'd allow a virtual hug: {{{Robyn}}}

I'm another one who refused to fly after 9-11. The security changes became so bizarre and so intrusive, I simply refused to subject myself to the sheer indignity of it all. It wasn't as if flying was a whole lot of fun anymore anyways. After the dehumanizing pass through security, all that awaited was to be treated like a head of cattle for the duration. Pass.

Unfortunately, my elderly parents aren't getting any younger. So this spring I simply had to bite the bullet and fly home ... first flight in probably 18 years. But I did some research a few months before the flight and stumbled upon this program called "TSA Precheck". Basically, it allows you to pass through the simplified security common in pre-911 days ... no removal of shoes or belts, no pulling out your liquid bottles or your laptop, and only walking through a metal scanner. All I had to do was fill out a quick form on line, drive to a designated office to be fingerprinted, and pay $85.00 (for a pass that is good for 5 years). Within two weeks I had my "Known Traveler Number" which I filed with the airline I booked tickets on.

My flights took me from SFO (San Francisco) to DTW (Detroit Metro) and back ... and going through security was a breeze in both directions ... quick (no lines), efficient, and free of all humiliation. I would highly recommend it to anyone. It certainly reduced my travel stress a great deal.

disbanded, but I doubt we'll evere see that happen.

here comes all kinds of corollary problems to grab us.

Who knew the TSA gave a damn about penises?