Your Face Belongs to Us

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024 LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2023 A NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK 'A parable for our times' FINANCIAL TIMES, Best Books of 2023 'Gripping' THE TIMES , Best Technology Books of 2023 ______________________________________________________________________ What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were terrifying. But that was just the beginning. Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires, law enforcement and even Hollywood actors. In this gripping true story, Hill dives deep into its shadowy journey, and explores how facial recognition technology is already a part of our everyday lives – and where it’s going next. ______________________________________________________________________ ‘Thedystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood 'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again' THE ECONOMIST

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024 LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2023 A NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK 'A parable for our times' FINANCIAL TIMES, Best Books of 2023 'Gripping' THE TIMES , Best Technology Books of 2023 ______________________________________________________________________ What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were terrifying. But that was just the beginning. Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires, law enforcement and even Hollywood actors. In this gripping true story, Hill dives deep into its shadowy journey, and explores how facial recognition technology is already a part of our everyday lives – and where it’s going next. ______________________________________________________________________ ‘The dystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood 'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again' THE ECONOMIST

‘A parable for our times' FINANCIAL TIMES Best Books of 2023 'In a gripping — and sometimes creepy — book, Hill explores the repercussions of [facial recognition] technology and finds out who is behind it' THE TIMES Best Technology Books of 2023 ‘Illuminating. A walk down the street will not feel quite the same again’ ECONOMIST ______________________________________________________________________ When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI, a mysterious startup selling an app that claimed it could identify anyone using just a snapshot of their face, the implications were terrifying . The app could use the photo to find your name, your social media profiles, your friends and family – even your home address. But this was just the start of a story more shocking than she could have imagined. Launched by computer engineer Hoan Ton-That and politician Richard Schwartz, and assisted by a cast of controversial characters on the alt-right, Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires and law enforcement. In this riveting feat of reporting Hill weaves the story of Clearview AI with an exploration of how facial recognition technology is reshaping our lives, from its use by governments and companies like Google and Facebook (who decided it was too radical to release) to the consequences of racial and gender biases baked into the AI. Soon it could expand the reach of policing — as it has in China and Russia — and lead us into a dystopian future. Your Face Belongs to Us is a gripping true story. It illuminates our tortured relationship with technology, the way it entertains us even as it exploits us, and it presents a powerful warning that in the absence of regulation, this technology will spell the end of our anonymity. ______________________________________________________________________ *LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD* 'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat 'Compelling . . . an engrossing cautionary tale' LITERARY REVIEW ‘The dystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood

‘A parable for our times' FINANCIAL TIMES Best Books of 2023 'In a gripping — and sometimes creepy — book, Hillexplores the repercussions of [facial recognition] technology and finds out who is behind it' THE TIMES Best Technology Books of 2023 ‘Illuminating. A walk down the street will not feel quite the same again’ ECONOMIST ______________________________________________________________________ When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI, a mysterious startup selling an app that claimed it could identify anyone using just a snapshot of their face, the implications were terrifying . The app could use the photo to find your name, your social media profiles, your friends and family – even your home address. But this was just the start of a story more shocking than she could have imagined. Launched by computer engineer Hoan Ton-That and politician Richard Schwartz, and assisted by a cast of controversial characters on the alt-right, Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires and law enforcement. In this riveting feat of reporting Hill weaves the story of Clearview AI with an exploration of how facial recognition technology is reshaping our lives, from its use by governmentsand companies like Google and Facebook (who decided it was too radical to release) to the consequences of racial and gender biases baked into the AI. Soon it could expand the reach of policing — as it has in China and Russia — and lead us into a dystopian future. Your Face Belongs to Us is a gripping true story. It illuminates our tortured relationship with technology, the way it entertains us even as it exploits us, and it presents a powerful warning that in the absence of regulation, this technology will spell the end of our anonymity. ______________________________________________________________________ *LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD* 'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat 'Compelling . . . an engrossing cautionary tale' LITERARY REVIEW ‘Thedystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The story of a small AI company that gave facial recognition to law enforcement, billionaires, and businesses, threatening to end privacy as we know it "The dystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill's fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality."--John Carreyrou, author of Bad Blood A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, Wired Winner of the Inc. Non-Obvious Book Award - Longlisted for the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year Award New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill was skeptical when she got a tip about a mysterious app called Clearview AI that claimed it could, with 99 percent accuracy, identify anyone based on just one snapshot of their face. The app could supposedly scan a face and, in just seconds, surface every detail of a person's online life: their name, social media profiles, friends and family members, home address, and photos that they might not have even known existed. If it was everything it claimed to be, it would be the ultimate surveillance tool, and it would open the door to everything from stalking to totalitarian state control. Could it be true? In this riveting account, Hill tracks the improbable rise of Clearview AI, helmed by Hoan Ton-That, an Australian computer engineer, and Richard Schwartz, a former Rudy Giuliani advisor, and its astounding collection of billions of faces from the internet. The company was boosted by a cast of controversial characters, including conservative provocateur Charles C. Johnson and billionaire Donald Trump backer Peter Thiel--who all seemed eager to release this society-altering technology on the public. Google and Facebook decided that a tool to identify strangers was too radical to release, but Clearview forged ahead, sharing the app with private investors, pitching it to businesses, and offering it to thousands of law enforcement agencies around the world. Facial recognition technology has been quietly growing more powerful for decades. This technology has already been used in wrongful arrests in the United States. Unregulated, it could expand the reach of policing, as it has in China and Russia, to a terrifying, dystopian level. Your Face Belongs to Us is a gripping true story about the rise of a technological superpower and an urgent warning that, in the absence of vigilance and government regulation, Clearview AI is one of many new technologies that challenge what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once called "the right to be let alone."

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The story of a small AI company that gave facial recognition to law enforcement, billionaires, and businesses, threatening to end privacy as we know it "The dystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill's fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality."--John Carreyrou, author of Bad Blood A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, Wired Winner of the Inc. Non-Obvious Book Award - Longlisted for the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year Award New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill was skeptical when she got a tip about a mysterious app called Clearview AI that claimed it could, with 99 percent accuracy, identify anyone based on just one snapshot of their face. The app could supposedly scan a face and, in just seconds, surface every detail of a person's online life: their name, social media profiles, friends and family members, home address, and photos that they might not have even known existed. If it was everything it claimed to be, it would be the ultimate surveillance tool, and it would open the door to everything from stalking to totalitarian state control. Could it be true? In this riveting account, Hill tracks the improbable rise of Clearview AI, helmed by Hoan Ton-That, an Australian computer engineer, and Richard Schwartz, a former Rudy Giuliani advisor, and its astounding collection of billions of faces from the internet. The company was boosted by a cast of controversial characters, including conservative provocateur Charles C. Johnson and billionaire Donald Trump backer Peter Thiel--who all seemed eager to release this society-altering technology on the public. Google and Facebook decided that a tool to identify strangers was too radical to release, but Clearview forged ahead, sharing the app with private investors, pitching it to businesses, and offering it to thousands of law enforcement agencies around the world. Facial recognition technology has been quietly growing more powerful for decades. This technology has already been used in wrongful arrests in the United States. Unregulated, it could expand the reach of policing, as it has in China and Russia, to a terrifying, dystopian level. Your Face Belongs to Us is a gripping true story about the rise of a technological superpower and an urgent warning that, in the absence of vigilance and government regulation, Clearview AI is one of many new technologies that challenge what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once called "the right to be let alone."

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024* *LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2023* 'A parable for our times' FINANCIAL TIMES, Best Books of 2023 'Gripping' THE TIMES , Best Technology Books of 2023 ______________________________________________________________________ What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were terrifying. But that was just the beginning. Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires, law enforcement and even Hollywood actors. In this gripping true story, Hill dives deep into its shadowy journey, and explores how facial recognition technology is already a part of our everyday lives – and where it’s going next. ______________________________________________________________________ ‘Thedystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood 'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again' THE ECONOMIST

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024* *LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2023* 'A parable for our times' FINANCIAL TIMES, Best Books of 2023 'Gripping' THE TIMES , Best Technology Books of 2023 ______________________________________________________________________ What if you could be identified by anyone with just a blurry photo? When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI in 2019, a facial recognition platform with an alleged 98.6% accuracy rate, the implications were terrifying. But that was just the beginning. Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires, law enforcement and even Hollywood actors. In this gripping true story, Hill dives deep into its shadowy journey, and explores how facial recognition technology is already a part of our everyday lives – and where it’s going next. ______________________________________________________________________ ‘The dystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood 'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat 'A walk down the street will not quite feel the same again' THE ECONOMIST