Hang on. Let's take the 'why' of this one step at a time. 1. Automated facial recognition software improvement. What? ...there have to be less morally worrying, more legal ways to do that. Like ... using the fleet of CC cameras the UK already has at every public streetcorner. So I refuse to accept that. 2. To monitor existing targets. Fine ... except that their existing "targets" have often proven to be completely innocent people and they admit it was a random bulk project in the next paragraph. So they had no way of truly selecting the right people. Which brings me to 3. 3. To discover ... new ... "targets of interest" ... on Yahoo webcams. Illegally. Immorally. Aaaaaaaaaaaurrghh. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?!The system, eerily reminiscent of the telescreens evoked in George Orwell's 1984, was used for experiments in automated facial recognition, to monitor GCHQ's existing targets, and to discover new targets of interest.
Don't worry, I'm sure they're doing that too. :D! BEST TESTBED EVAR! Also, the link at the bottom of the article featuring William Binney as an NSA whistleblower was just a bit too prophetic for me....using the fleet of CC cameras the UK already has at every public streetcorner.