Dries Depoorter Software Tracks You Online
Key Points:
- The truth is always stranger than fiction and scarier
- You always feel like someone’s watching you
- Demonstrating the power of video surveillance
- When you suppress the GEO location, this happens
- Dries Depoorter’s software is a constant reminder
In the 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, written by George Orwell, the reader gets introduced to a society where every citizen is under constant video surveillance by the government. What was considered a fictional story back then had become our reality in recent years.
Take, for example, Dries Depoorter, a Belgium artist. His art project showcases how easy it is to find and track people using open-camera footage and Instagram photos. However, Luis briefly describes how some might see this as violating our privacy and civil rights in today’s video.
The Follower Is Watching You
It may sound like a scary line in a suspense movie, but in all reality, it’s the latest project from Dries Depoorter. The widely talked about surveillance artist has created more controversy using AI and open-cameras matching behind-the-scenes video footage with Instagram influencers.
The Follower software project began in September 2022. According to Depoorter, he states on his Twitter page: “’The Follower’ is software searching how an Instagram photo was taken with the help of AI and open cameras.”
When you go to his website, he provides his three steps of how it works:
- Recorded a selection of open cameras for weeks.
- Scraped all Instagram photos tagged with the locations of the open cameras.
- The software compares Instagram photos with recorded footage.
What Does This Mean For The Public?
Dries Depoorter’s project aims to make the public aware of how vulnerable we are to being surveilled. That also points out the dangers of facial recognition software and how easy it is for friends or strangers to track down someone because they’re constantly posting pictures online.
According to Luis Alvarez, CEO of the Alvarez Technology Group, “Depoorter wants to demonstrate the power of video surveillance. How we don’t realize that we are on camera pretty much every time we’re out in public.”
“Many of these cameras are private video surveillance security that’s protected behind passwords, and you need access to it. But many of them are available to anybody in the public when you do a Google search,” Says Luis.
How Can You Protect Yourself From The Follower?
The first step is always to be aware of your surroundings. Next, when you want to take a picture to post online, make sure to check and set your settings to suppress the GEO location information. That prevents anyone from tracking you down and discovering your location.
The other thing to do is protect who has access to your social media profile. Locking that down ensures that only those you give access to are people you know. It also prevents having a wide-open page the entire world can view.
The last thing to do is review and remove any sensitive information from your account, like your date of birth, the city you’re from, the school you went to, or where you work. All that information gives a scammer or cybercriminal enough information to steal your identity.
Publicly Accessible Cameras Are Here To Stay
Whatever side of the art project argument you’re on, Dries Depoorter’s software is a constant reminder at the end of the day. You’re on camera, being followed and recorded when you’re out in public. Do everything in your power to block yourself from being seen.
Alvarez Technology Group understands that protecting your organization’s privacy and sensitive information is a top priority. Contact us today or call Toll Free 1-866-78-iTeam to discover the steps you can take to protect yourself when taking pictures.
