This Week in the New Normal #103
Our successor to This Week in the Guardian, This Week in the New Normal is our weekly chart of the progress of autocracy, authoritarianism and economic restructuring around the world.
1. Cars – the latest subscription service
Volkswagen announced, this week, that some of their electric models would now come with optional upgrades – not as a one-off purchase, but as a subscription. The BBC reports:
German car making giant Volkswagen (VW) has introduced a subscription for UK customers wanting to increase the power of some of its electric cars.
Those who buy an eligible car in its ID.3 range can choose to pay extra if they want to unlock the full power of the engine inside the vehicle.
VW says the “optional power upgrade” will cost £16.50 per month or £165 annually – or people can choose to pay £649 for a lifetime subscription.
Disregard the specifics, the concern here is clearly the precedent such a model sets. How long before these schemes spread? Or increase in price to “decrease traffic” or “encourage public transportation”?
It’s not hard to image how this could be abused. Malignant subscription models have already massively increased the cost of owning a printer, or photoshop, or watching TV. All part of the plan to make sure people own nothing.
2. Denmark’s Deepfake Legislation
Ten days ago, Denmark became the first country to grant your digital likeness – face and voice – protected status as intellectual property. Essentially, in Denmark, you now own your face.
There’s a thorough breakdown of the new law here, which is worth reading if you’re into that kind of thing.
There’s nothing that stands out as particularly bad, so far. As much as its touted as an anti-deep fake law, it maintains the “fair use” exception, which permits use for satire or parody purposed. That will likely save most deep fake manufacturers.
More importantly, I think, the burden of proof is on the complainant to prove the footage is faked or manipulated. That, theoretically, should prevent frivolous suits brought by companies or celebrities trying to hide footage behind a “fake video” defence.
I’ve not decided if this is good or bad yet, but it is interesting.
3. Facial Recognition Tech Rollout
London’s Metropolitan Police are moving forward with plans to use facial recognition technology during this year’s Notting Hill Carnival, despite reservations from the UK’s human rights watchdog.
In a classic example of liberal faux-opposition, the mainstream criticism of the technology is focusing on supposed racial or gender biases, not the general principle.
This means all the police have to do is “prove” the technology is not biased, and suddenly it’s OK to have our faces scanned 24/7 because we’re all being oppressed equally.
The whole framing of the debate, including the use of FRT during Notting Hill Carnival is designed to win-over the right wing by playing into racial and identity politics.
Transparent.
BONUS: Intriguing speech of the week
Mario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank and ex-Prime Minister of Italy, gave a speech this week lamenting Europe’s recent failings. From failing to effectively stand up to Trump’s tariffs, to yielding to defense spending demands, to standing helplessly by as conflicts rage in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere.
Draghi argues that the EU can no longer rely on economic weight alone to be a player on the world stage, and suggests a solution: The United State of Europe, all the nations of the EU merging into a federation. Big if true.
It’s not all bad…
Infamous website 4chan is refusing to pay any fines levied under the UK’s new Online Safety Act. 4chan’s owners have previously stated they would not be requiring users to prove their age.
Non-compliance is always good to see.
On a more personal note, any of you that listened to the most recent IMA panel will have heard me mention that my cat has gone missing. He is still lost, and I miss him every day.
But, there’s still good to be gleaned. I have been walking the neighbourhood, putting up fliers, knocking on doors, interacting with neighbours and near-neighbours more than the last ten years combined. It makes you realise…most people are nice.
An older gentleman patted my shoulder and told me everything was going to be alright. A lady with small children and two cats of her own volunteered to walk with me. Every phone call is someone eager to help. It’s a welcome antidote to well-earned cynicism.
The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for. – Ernest Hemingway
*
All told a pretty hectic week for the new normal crowd, and we didn’t even mention our “golden age of lab grown meat” or the latest made-up Covid nonsense.
There’s a lot of change in the air, a lot of agendas in the works, if you see a headline, article, post or interview you think is a sign of the times, post it in the comments, email us or share it on social media and we will add it to the next edition.
