Russian Spy Tech Is Raising Privacy Fears In Russia (And I Predict Soon In The West).

Russian authorities and members of the public have lashed out at recent inventions such as a phone call interception system and a face recognition app as breached of law or infringement of privacy (AFP Photo/Vasily Maximov)

AFP: Russian hi-tech spy devices under attack over privacy fears

Moscow (AFP) - New Russian technologies, including phonecall interception and a facial recognition app, have stirred a fierce debate about privacy and data monitoring.

Infowatch, a Moscow-based IT security company managed by businesswoman Natalya Kasperskaya, found itself in hot water last month after it revealed it had invented a system that companies can use to intercept employees' mobile phone conversations.

Companies outside Russia have also devised call interception software, and Infowatch already markets products that monitor employees' e-mails, USB keys and printers.

But Kasperskaya says she was taken aback by the storm that surrounded the mobile phone innovation.

"We weren't expecting this. For us it was only another channel of communication," Kasperskaya told AFP in an interview.

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WNU Editor: To begin .... Kaspersky Lab security software company is an impressive company. I was asked years ago if I could do some marketing for them in Canada/the U.S. .... but I declined because of other projects. But I have always followed the company ... and over the years the tech and the calibre of the people that they have always been able to recruit has been beyond impressive .... so I am not surprised that what they are now marketing is causing a huge stir in Russia .... and (I predict) will soon cause a stir in the West.

As to the new Russian smartphone app known as FindFace, where it allows users to photograph strangers on the street and then identify their pages on Russia's social network site VK .... when I first heard about it I said to myself "wow" .... the possibilities on what that tech can do (and reveal) should concern all of us who are worried about our privacy and who value our anonymity. The app is not here yet, but it is only a matter of time. The link to FindFace is here.