[ExI] cybernetic hate crime?

[Anders Sandberg]

On 18/07/2012 01:23, Jeff Davis wrote:
> I'm suspicious.  Something's missing here.  The reason for the
> "assault".   It reminds me of the kid who says so-and-so hit me, but
> neglects to report how he spit in so-and-so's face first.
>
> What "really" happened.

Yes, there is plenty left out. One interesting aspect is that Mann has a 
powerful media advantage: he have documentary information he can edit 
and disseminate, and he is a darling of the digerati. Just because you 
do sousveilance doesn't mean the sousveiled information as it is 
revealed to others will be neutral. And in this case it creates an 
information asymmetry visavi the McDonalds employees. If only they had 
wearcams and blogs too...

My guess the real origin is a combination of personality, 
misunderstanding (cultural and direct) and uncertainty avoidant 
employees caught by a belief that they must enforce a recording ban that 
is on the books. While I like much of Manns work, he does have a 
tendency to put the minions of organisations in a squeeze.


-- 
Anders Sandberg,
Future of Humanity Institute
Philosophy Faculty of Oxford University