American Public Media's "Marketplace" explores how the convergence of the government's post-9/11 intensified security efforts and Internet giants' remake of the online environment created a "data collection revolution." Researchers and an industry executive weigh in on ways that government investments in surveillance technology--such as facial recognition--have made possible online features and applications that, according to Alessandro Acquisti of Carnegie Mellon University, are "bringing us closer to a world where online and offline data merge. The consequences can be cool but also very creepy." Meanwhile, British Columbia Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham questions whether the "progression of security measures," and subsequent loss of privacy, "has been effective or proportionate to the threat." Editor's Note: For more on the implications of Sept. 11 on privacy, read the Daily Dashboard exclusive, "An Unexpected Sept. 11 Legacy: Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Remains Dormant," and "How 9/11 Changed Privacy," from this month's Privacy Advisor.
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