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Who Exactly Is Ashton Kutcher’s Anti-Sex-Trafficking Tech Company Helping? (www.thecut.com)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 85 points 11 months ago (6 children)

One group that doesn’t love this technology is sex workers. The software can’t credibly discern between real escort ads and sex-trafficking-disguised-as-escort ads, meaning consenting adults often get swept up in its surveillance. In fact, a recent study funded by the Department of Justice found that police regularly mistake certain “red flags” in escort ads — like 24/7 availability or the use of specific emojis — for signs of trafficking.

That Thorn uses Amazon’s facial recognition tool is especially contentious. Research by MIT and the ACLU has shown that it falsely identified people of color, and the company itself has banned police departments from using Rekognition, except in trafficking cases through software like Spotlight.

[–] [email protected] 60 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

In 2011, a public-awareness campaign for DNA featured Donald Trump, Jamie Foxx, and the slogan “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls.”

Donald - "they just let you do it" - "beauty pageant dressing room" - Trump

🙄

Kutcher and his first wife, Demi Moore, founded an organization called DNA in 2009 after watching a Dateline special

Combine this with Kutcher not knowing Masterson and scientology numerous trafficking accusations really illuminates how unserious they were about the program.

This was always just a PR move for Kutcher, so he doesn't care if he is doing damage to legitimate sex workers. Much like FOSTA/SESTA, it's real easy for anyone who wants to boost their image, lawmakers included, to play the hero as you take a "protect the children at all costs zero tolerance" stance and handwave away the harm you do "helping".

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

Well said

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