Google knows how your neighborhood votes by what you all drive.

"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
12/21/2017 at 09:23 • Filed to: None

“For example, Hondas and Toyotas were associated with predominantly Asian neighborhoods, Chryslers, Buicks, and Oldsmobiles with black neighborhoods, and Aston Martins, Volkswagens and pickup trucks with white neighborhoods. The model most closely associated Republican-voting precincts with extended-cab pickup trucks, while Democrat-voting precincts were mostly strongly tied to sedans. When matched against the actual census data, the AI generally got it right and did it much faster: the AI classified all 50 million images in 2 weeks. The ACS release takes five years.”

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DISCUSSION (39)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:25

https://gizmodo.com/an-ai-accurately-guessed-race-and-voting-patterns-by-co-1821472662

Ash78, voting early and often > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:28

THAT’S RACI....oh, Google did it? And backed it up with data? OK, we’re all good here.

But to be honest, I only drive my Aston when my wife is using our truck to tow the VW to the shop. And vice versa.

Azrek > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:30

Hmm...makes me want to get a Lotus and see if the AI explodes...or kills us all.

EL_ULY > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:30

Subaru Baja = Likes both Miracle Whip and real mayonnaise

fintail > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:38

No parking on my street, might have thrown them off. Then again, I do have two sedans and have generally voted D, so there’s that. On the west coast, Honyotas are associated with EVERY neighborhood.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:43

We drive hatchbacks and vote liberal. So. There. Google doesn’t know me!

Shit, I just wrote that on the internet didn’t I? Fuck.

TheRealBicycleBuck > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:46

Old news. They don’t need cars to do that. They just need an address.

Oh, you live at 10000 White St.? You are between 35 and 42, a democrat, drive a Volvo, make between $56k and $122k per year...

And so it goes. Although we don’t do marketing research, we have to dig into the census data to assess Environmental Justice issues for just about every transportation-related job. Market researchers just combine the census data with purchasing/market databases to build a profile that describes you and your neighbors. That includes what you drive. Starting with the car is just doing the same research from the other direction.

Arrivederci > Azrek
12/21/2017 at 09:47

It’ll use the algorithm: Lotus = British, Aston = British, so Lotus = Aston, thereby Azrek = white.

nermal > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 09:49

Sounds reasonable.

Kinja'd!!!

Azrek > Arrivederci
12/21/2017 at 09:50

...dammit...foiled again

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Ash78, voting early and often
12/21/2017 at 09:51

You only drive your Aston when your wife is using the VW to tow the truck to the shop? You only drive your VW when your wife is using the truck to tow the Aston to the shop? You only drive your truck when your wife is using the Aston to tow the VW to the shop? ...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
12/21/2017 at 09:57

Pretty sure hatchbacks also = liberal.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > nermal
12/21/2017 at 09:59

This is a Prius:

Kinja'd!!!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > EL_ULY
12/21/2017 at 09:59

Haha!

TheRealBicycleBuck > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 10:07

Maybe I’m an outlier.

Kinja'd!!!

Future next gen S2000 owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 10:22

If you drive a Pontiac Vibe, does that count as a Toyota?

marshknute > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 10:34

Hmm. We have two Toyota’s (SUV and extended cab pickup), one Lexus sedan, an Audi sedan, and a Corvette.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/21/2017 at 10:34

Just interesting how accurately this method matches the census data. What’s really scary is, before long (actually, they’re probably doing it already), they’ll be collecting license plate numbers, matching to addresses, and then driving through church parking lots, lots at political rally meetings, monitoring school drop off & pick up, etc.

Big Brother (and Sister and Cousin) are watching, and you’re for sale.

I wish the U.S. took its personal privacy as seriously as Germany.

https://www.ft.com/content/78580b45-bf92-388e-9ad1-72892001f7bc

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/21/2017 at 10:50

Haha - this only works on a large sample (kind of like BMI was never supposed to be used on individuals). =)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > marshknute
12/21/2017 at 10:52

Truck & ‘Vette say red, Lexus & Audi say blue. Purple?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Future next gen S2000 owner
12/21/2017 at 10:53

Maybe? The people who only would “buy ‘Merican” and never would be seen in a “Jap” car, surely have no idea the Vibe is really a Toyota.

Elumerere > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/21/2017 at 11:04

That survey (yes, I took it too) is heavy skewed. It’s from a libertarian think tank thing.

TheRealBicycleBuck > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 11:05

We are already most of the way there. Toll roads are moving toward tagless technology - they read the license plates and send a bill instead of requiring users to install RFID tags or pay at a toll booth. They already do this for toll breakers and some of the newer roads have fully implemented this system. (Full disclosure: One arm of my company builds and operates toll roads).

We already have companies providing on-car camera systems used by police and towing companies which read plates in real time and alert the officer if it is a wanted vehicle or alert the tow driver if it is up for repossession.

One company wants to provide persistent vision on an aerial platform. This was in use in Iraq to track enemy combatants who were placing IEDs. After one went off, they just play the tapes backwards to see who planted the IED and follow them backwards in time to their base of operations. They’ve been testing the technology in Mexico but have had problems getting permission in the U.S. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/company-uses-aerial-footage-technology-to-fight-crime/

You are right, Big Brother is watching, and the information is for sale.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Elumerere
12/21/2017 at 11:08

I know, I know. It was just a joke. I’m more conservative than the quiz suggests.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 11:09

P E R L A T I K S

Anecdote: my dad has been driving Acuras for almost 30 years and my mom has had her Miata for 20. They are among the most conservative conservatives that have ever conserved.

punkgoose17 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 11:10

I like that Google thinks some of my racist family is black.

Future next gen S2000 owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 11:13

But what does the computer classify it as?

Elumerere > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/21/2017 at 11:16

Oh. I figured it skews the other way.

Well, hopefully you’ll come around one day.

Dave the car guy , still here > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 11:26

I’d say that classifies him as an independent.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Elumerere
12/21/2017 at 11:36

Hah! I believe more people start life as Liberals and become more conservative as they age.

I’m sure both sides could skew the results of the quiz by changing how the questions are worded.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Future next gen S2000 owner
12/21/2017 at 12:25

small hatchback from defunct manufacturer = poor?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
12/21/2017 at 12:28

Works on the sample, not on the individual.

Your folks have good taste in cars, if not representation. Were/are they willing and ardent Trump supporters?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/21/2017 at 12:29

It’s been scary, and is getting scarier. So much potential for evil & corruption with these systems...

Future next gen S2000 owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 12:38

We may never know.

Elumerere > TheRealBicycleBuck
12/21/2017 at 14:02

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Yeah, when conservative politics still existed (which now is basically the democratic party). Nixon would be considered a liberal these days, crazy as it seems.

Kanaric > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 15:08

lmao i could have told you all of this without even knowing the article existed

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Kanaric
12/21/2017 at 15:22

It cracks me up that Astons were included in the article.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/21/2017 at 23:32

towing companies are already collecting that meta data on plates and vehicle location based on time and address.

Best of all there are no controls on who access or buys that data.

There was a super creepy video a few years where they paid for a profile of one of the producers cars. The private investigaor goes, “well heres your home address where you live here, thats known, but I was also able to get you tagged 3 times at this starbucks, this day care center,this elementary school, this dry cleaner, this building where you work, two resturants,...”

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
12/22/2017 at 09:47

And anyone can buy that information...