Large-scale online deanonymization with LLMs

[mike]

Excuse the language in the post. But apparently, and not surprisingly at all, people are now using AI to deanonymize people online by using bits of information such as reddit posts and finding patterns across the internet to match them with a real identity. After awhile, it won't matter whether your forum handle is ohio jones or mike or JohnH, somebody might be able to find out your real identity using these tools.

[Bootstrap]

Absolutely.

And this is also part of the mass surveillance system that is being developed. Some of the people who were following ICE agents to observe them learned about this when the agents drove to their homes, using the home addresses they had in the database, while the observers followed them to their own homes.

Their online activity had identified them as people who observe ICE agents. Facial recognition allows them to address people by name when they first see them, another demonstration of their abilities that we have seen in practice.

If Christians are persecuted in the future, the infrastructure is in place.

[barnhart]

There is a saying among anti tech thinkers that goes something like "the future is here, it's just unevenly distributed." Meaning the tech of the future is already being employed against people with the least agency who can do little about it. An example might be monitoring prisoners or surveillance in crime prone neighborhoods. Eventually the group who have little power to object becomes larger until it encompasses nearly everyone but the very top.

My guess is this has been a tool available for some people for a while already, we are amazed only because it was hidden.

[Bootstrap]

There is a saying among anti tech thinkers that goes something like "the future is here, it's just unevenly distributed." Meaning the tech of the future is already being employed against people with the least agency who can do little about it. An example might be monitoring prisoners or surveillance in crime prone neighborhoods. Eventually the group who have little power to object becomes larger until it encompasses nearly everyone but the very top.

My guess is this has been a tool available for some people for a while already, we are amazed only because it was hidden.

Worth noting: the government is suing Anthropic because they do not allow their LLMs to be used for two specific things:

1. Mass surveillance
2. Making the decision whether an autonomous weapon should kill someone without prior human approval

I don't think LLMs should be used for either purpose. It alarms me that the government is publicly suing Anthropic over this, and even threatening to use wartime production powers if Anthropic does not back down.

Also alarming: Anthropic is alone in this. OpenAI, Gemini, and Grok do not have restrictions like these.

[JohnH]

If Christians are persecuted in the future, the infrastructure is in place.

My understanding is that the infrastructure has been in place since Paul was Saul.

[JohnH]

I don't think LLMs should be used for either purpose. It alarms me that the government is publicly suing Anthropic over this, and even threatening to use wartime production powers if Anthropic does not back down.

It alarms me that Anthropic thinks it can subvert democracy and dictate to the government how its technology can be used, reserving only for itself what it deems "too dangerous". I believe in civilian control of the government and the military; that includes AI tools, and some unaccountable private contractor should not be in charge of what the military can or cannot do.

The proper way to regulate how the government and military use LLM tools is via Congress and the democratic process, not a private third party.

[JohnL]

This thread reminds me of George Orwell's book Ninety Eight-Four.

[Silentreader]

This thread reminds me of George Orwell's book Ninety Eight-Four.

That sounds kinda Star Warsy

[ohio jones]

This thread reminds me of George Orwell's book Ninety Eight-Four.

Sounds more like an Oldsmobile than a novel.

[barnhart]

There is no ultimate security or safety in this world. What the mind can invent, another can subvert or defeat.