Is MIT a state?

When the data ends up inevitably in the state’s hands (almost certainly thanks to the AI company they’re contracting), it is 100% part of the surveillance state. Same reason telecom providers and Big Tech generally is part of the surveillance state; they’ll just hand over data, no questions asked, no warrants provided.

▲

Grombobulous 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Let’s say I run some video cameras on my property, and I decide that I’m going to mail the contents of those hard drives to my police department every day.

That’s not the surveillance state. That’s just me as a private entity snitching.

MIT is not a public university. It’s private property not much different than my house. You’re generally not supposed to be in most of their buildings unless you’re a student, faculty, or staff, just like you’re not supposed to be at my house unless I invite you over.

I will concede, though, that some lines are blurred. E.g., MIT has a police force.

The other point of my original comment is really just that it seems like the most prestigious colleges have faculty and students that complain about stuff that’s really typical at less prestigious universities.

	▲	itishappy 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> That’s not the surveillance state. Why not? > That’s just me as a private entity snitching. ... to the state. You are surveilling for the state. Domestic surveillance took off with McCarthyism.

▲

kelnos 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

MIT has a police force, so in the way that matters for this particular topic, yes, they are a state.

Aside from that, the lines are very blurred these days, as the state often ends up gaining regular, easy access to systems such as this.

(Regardless, it's a bit in bad faith to bring up surveillance-state scenarios, and then, when called on it, claim that it doesn't matter because it technically doesn't apply to the organization at hand. Even though it does in the ways that matter.)

▲

Grombobulous 4 hours ago | parent [-]

That’s not bad faith, it’s just basic logic. MIT isn’t a state and is just installing security cameras on its private property.

I do concede what you’re saying about its police force, and that’s a fair angle.

▲

rc5150 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Sorry to interrupt the pedantry about whether a specific entity counts as a state, I'd like to submit the notion that maybe the argument shouldn't be "is a state entity" but rather "is an entity that has some form of authority over my livelihood that is cornering me into a mode of constant surveillance which I do not consent to."

The obvious answer is to leave the organization, but ultimately one shouldn't have to end their employment in order to be free of undue/unjust AI surveillance.

	▲	kelnos 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Yes, this. That's part of my assertion that this is an argument in bad-faith: focusing on irrelevant details in order to derail an argument.

▲

itishappy 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Yes. They have borders, government, and a police force.