"Automated Racism": China's Hikvision still sells Uyghur-tracking surveillance cameras, powered by America's Nvidia

0x815@feddit.de to Technology@beehaw.org – 133 points –
Hikvision Uyghur Recognition, NVIDIA-Powered, Sold To PRC China Authorities
ipvm.com

Despite assurances for years that Hikvision has stopped minority analytics, just 7 months ago local PRC authorities awarded a $6 million contract that explicitly requires Hikvision analytics to identify Uyghurs (维族), powered by NVIDIA hardware, security specialist IPVM says.

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Ah cool I’ll be adding “minority analytics” to my list of fun euphemisms for nightmarish realities

I'm reminded of IBM's dealings with the Nazis.

Everyone’s reminder that the number tattoos were the victim’s immutable IBM database IDs!

It's a stretch to blame NVIDIA for someone buying their hardware off of a shelf and using it for something shitty. It'd be like blaming Sony if it was found that child abuse rings prefer to use their cameras.

That was pretty much IBM's excuse, if I recall correctly. Then it turned out IBM execs were well aware of who was buying their equipment and for what purpose…

Yeah this really is an on Nvidia, it's like someone buying a TV and then watching torture or something on it.

You have got to be kidding me. The company’s name is Hick Vision??

Yes, It is typically pronounced "hike-vision" though.

Because some marketing person realized it was a really bad idea to call a company Hick Vision, but it was too late to stop the founders from doing so?

Just an English transliteration of part of their Chinese name "hǎi kāng wēi shì"

I'm surprised you hadn't heard of them before. They're the largest security camera manufacturer in the world, rebranded under a bunch of different brand names. It's likely you walk past many of their security cameras every day. The majority of security cameras are either Hikvision or Dahua.

Now if HikVision was only to show all the proud racists where their ancestors are really from.....