Spying TV sets, the government keeping tabs on what porn we’re watching (probably), horrific bipedal robots that are just a gun short of becoming a real-life Terminator.
This is the future; we’re living in it and it’s already absolutely bloody terrifying.
However, apparently there is still room for things to get even more Orwellian – case in point: this recently developed app that allows the user to identify a stranger simply by taking their photograph.
Facezam was created by a British entrepreneur who is seemingly hellbent on making our already nightmare-inducing technological landscape even more frightening.
So, what does Facezam actually do?
Well, Facezam can identify a stranger by linking a photograph taken of them to their Facebook profile picture. That means that in theory someone could snap a candid photo of you on your way to the pub/shops/work/whatever and use it to find out exactly who you are and what you’re all about.
The app scans billions of images online in a second and uses facial recognition technology to link a photograph to the social media account it thinks it belongs to.
Think of it like Shazam but instead of helping you to find nice new music, it helps people you’ve never met discover your workplace, name, taste in television and who your mates are.
Don’t get too worried just yet though, according to Facebook, the app breaches its privacy guidelines.
Not everyone thinks it’s is completely horrifying and unnecessary – at least one person likes it – Facezam’s creator Jack Kenyon.
"Facezam could be the end of our anonymous societies," he said. "Users will be able to identify anyone within a matter of seconds, which means privacy will no longer exist in public society."
How that is supposed to be a good thing is anyone’s guess.
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