AR collects and processes a lot of information about the user, and his or her environment

The capabilities of Augmented Reality (AR) are allowing humans to fully immerse themselves in a computer-generated world unlike any other technology in the past. All those science fiction movie fantasies could be brought to reality if augmented reality becomes a part of people's everyday life.

Augmented reality collects and processes a lot of information about a user and his or her environment. Henceforth, the technology looks shady on the privacy concern part. It raises two forms of threat to users. One is their own privacy and the other is the privacy of people they come across. Augmented reality collects a lot of information about who the user is and what he/she is doing. Similarly, it collects data on the user's passers-by. This could lead to major privacy thwart if hackers gain access to the device. There is no assurance that hackers are laid back and has no skill to get onboard an augmented reality device hacking plan. Even when all these questions remain unanswered, augmented reality is still coming closer to being an everyday reality.

In 2013, Google glass hit the rock bottom following its release. But the promise it made to bring 3D models and computer interface into the world is re-emerging. Despite people's cry over a security breach that follows the augmented reality technology, companies are still pushing for the futuristic augmented reality glasses, which will display digital images and data that people can view through their glasses. Chinese company Nreal, Facebook and Apple are on the experimental stage of similar technology.

Recreating a digital world using 3D

The replica or digital twin of creating a whole worldly experience is the trending race that companies are running. Several technologies are moving to create a live map of parts of the world using augmented or virtual reality. Autonomous vehicles might also take over the job. The technology is using 'machine-readable, 1:1 scale models' of the world that is continuously updated in real-time. The process involves implementing models through point clouds, a dataset of points coming from a scanner to recreate the surface of objects or space. With three coordinators at each position, the technology makes sense of millions or billions of points to make the replica. A software with machine learning can help recognize objects from the point clouds, looking exactly like a digital twin of the world or a map of a house and everything inside.

Ultimately, when a new digital world emerges, it comes with privacy concerns. For instance, Facebook Live Maps will seek to create a shared virtual map. The Live Maps will rely on data collected from future augmented reality users and their functionality. Open AR, an interoperable AR cloud and Microsoft's Azure Digital Twins are also seeking to recreate the environment using digital representation.

In order to improve the AR capabilities, it is only up to the users to collect information. Facebook's Aria continues to record live 3D maps and develops AI models for the company's first-generation augmented reality wearable. Project Aria is a 3D live mapping tool and software with an AI developed tool, neither a prototype of a product nor an AR device due to the lack of display. Currently, Aria is not for sale. Facebook is testing its functionalities by availing it to train Facebook staffers and contractors who wear the Aria and collects data from the user's point of view.

Following the collection of data from wearer's view, a machine learning algorithm will build a model of the environment and the things on it. Even though all this sounds exciting and out of normalcy towards an unpredicted digital future, the privacy threats that espouse them are way too scarier.

AR's breach on right to privacy

AR technology that records and keeps account of all the happenings and conversation is often compared to that of dystopia. In this episode, the possibility of being recorded looms over every walk in the park, conversation at a bar, and indeed, everything people do near an AR smart glass.

Ultimately, Facebook has said that it has taken certain precautions while recording interactions. The privacy focuses on another cluster to differentiate between public and private space, and areas that are a mix of both like restaurants, bars, etc. Facebook asks the owners concern before recording in such privately-owned spaces. Other areas that are avoided due to sensitivity are restrooms and protests. The AR data blurs people's faces and license plates to keep their identity encrypted. However, identifying a person can be done more than by not seeing the face.

In modern times, people even oppose the intrusion of government surveillance in public areas. But unfortunately, AR glasses have an 'always-on' audio cameras or powerful 3D mapping sensors that updates live information to the company behind the technology. This brings us to a result of a global panopticon society of constant surveillance in public or semi-public spaces.

Legal protection against panopticon

It is not a new thing to raise voice in support of constitutional right that could protect people's private space despite growing technology. However, people across the globe are under the same umbrella of international human rights law that protects private data. While AR measuring and modeling in public and semi-public spaces is different from private spaces, key constitutional and international human rights principles still provide significant legal protection against police access.

Similarly, the European Court of Human Rights has recognized that a zone of interaction of a person with others, even in a public context, may fall within the scope of private life. Even in public places, the systemic or permanent recording and the subsequent processing of images could raise questions affecting the private life of individuals. These court rulings and laws protect the people's privacy up to an extent by drawing a line between what should and shouldn't be done in name of technological development.

In a nutshell

Even though when laws protect certain private data from being collected or circulated, manufacturers and service providers are at the other end to 'collect it all.' Another angle for the story is that the more private companies collect user's data, the more the government can seize it later. Hence, the tech giants should not only protect their users' right to data protection but also their right to privacy against government surveillance.