Recode Decode: Barry Friedman

Decoder with Nilay Patel · with Barry Friedman · November 25, 2019 · 60 min

Summary

This episode features a discussion with Barry Friedman on police accountability, the ethics of emerging technologies in policing like AI and facial recognition, and the lack of regulation impacting local communities. Friedman, director of The Policing Project at NYU School of Law, also touches on his work with Axon International, highlighting the surprising scarcity of data around police work.

Key takeaways

• Police accountability mechanisms are often insufficient, with significant gaps in regulation at the local level.
• Emerging technologies like AI and facial recognition in policing raise critical ethical concerns regarding bias, privacy, and civil liberties, often operating without adequate oversight.
• There is a surprising lack of comprehensive data on police operations, which hinders accountability and effective reform efforts.
• The role of technology companies in developing and deploying police tools needs greater scrutiny to balance innovation with public safety and ethical considerations.

Topics covered

Episode description

Barry Friedman, the director of The Policing Project at New York University's School of Law, talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about making police more accountable, the ethics of emerging technologies like AI and facial recognition, and the missing regulations that affect local communities in the US. Friedman also talks about his work with the company that created the Taser, Axon International — whose CEO Rick Smith will appear on Wednesday's episode of Recode Decode — and why there's not as much data about police work as one might assume. Read a full transcript of this interview here. Featuring: Barry Friedman (@barryfriedman1), director of The Policing Project (@policingproject) and author of Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission. Hosts: Kara Swisher (@karaswisher), Recode co-founder and editor-at-large More to explore: Subscribe for free to Reset, Recode's new podcast that explores why — and how — tech is changing everything. About Recode by Vox: Recode by Vox helps you understand how tech is changing the world — and changing us. Follow Us: Newsletter: Recode Daily Twitter: @Recode and @voxdotcom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Frequently asked about this episode

What's takeaway #1 from this episode?

Police accountability mechanisms are often insufficient, with significant gaps in regulation at the local level.

What's takeaway #2 from this episode?

Emerging technologies like AI and facial recognition in policing raise critical ethical concerns regarding bias, privacy, and civil liberties, often operating without adequate oversight.

What's takeaway #3 from this episode?

There is a surprising lack of comprehensive data on police operations, which hinders accountability and effective reform efforts.

What's takeaway #4 from this episode?

The role of technology companies in developing and deploying police tools needs greater scrutiny to balance innovation with public safety and ethical considerations.

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