Petra Molnar on Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Dec 8, 2024
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Petra Molnar is a lawyer and anthropologist, known for her work on migration and technology, including her book 'The Walls Have Eyes.' She discusses the troubling intersection of mass migration and technological surveillance, highlighting how AI is reshaping border policies. Molnar shares her experiences as a refugee worker, illustrating bureaucratic barriers faced by migrants. She also emphasizes the importance of compassion amidst systemic dehumanization, advocating for tech workers to shape ethical technology development in migration contexts.
Mass migration challenges democratic principles worldwide, fueled by anti-immigrant sentiments which exacerbate illiberal political movements.
The integration of surveillance and artificial intelligence technologies in border control raises ethical concerns, highlighting the dehumanization of migrants as data points.
Deep dives
The Impact of Mass Migration on Democracy
Mass migration is increasingly seen as a significant challenge to democratic systems worldwide. The podcast highlights how factors such as conflict, climate change, and natural disasters are driving people to migrate, with estimates suggesting that up to a billion people may need to do so in the coming decades. This mass movement raises concerns as anti-immigrant sentiments often fuel illiberal and anti-democratic politics, as evidenced by political rhetoric in the United States. The potential for such migration to escalate further poses a looming threat to the principles and structures of democracy globally.
Technology's Role in Border Control and Migration
The podcast delves into the intersection of migration and technology, emphasizing how advancements in surveillance, biometrics, and artificial intelligence are transforming border control. A substantial financial industry has emerged, driven by private companies offering technological solutions to manage migration as a problem. This 'border industrial complex' reflects the prevailing notion that migrants are threats, prompting states to adopt technological measures to monitor and control them. The implications of this trend are significant, raising ethical concerns about the increasing use of technology to profile and surveil vulnerable populations.
Humanization Amidst Technological Oppression
The podcast underscores the importance of retaining humanity within the migration discourse, despite the dehumanizing effects of technology. Through stories of individuals like Little Nassar and Negasi, the discussion reveals the real human impact of migration policies and surveillance technologies that often reduce people to mere data points. These narratives serve to remind listeners of the complex realities faced by migrants, as well as the resilience and solidarity observed in communities affected by migration and displacement. Recognizing and sharing these personal stories can foster empathy and understanding, countering the pervasive narratives that view migrants as problems.
Resilience and Resistance in the Face of Challenges
The podcast concludes with reflections on the resilience exhibited by individuals and communities facing the adverse effects of border technologies and oppressive policies. Despite the bleakness surrounding migration issues, numerous efforts to resist and support one another emerge at borders and within refugee communities. The emphasis on human connection and kindness in the face of crisis highlights an important counter-narrative to the fear-based rhetoric surrounding immigration. Ultimately, the dialogue encourages listeners to recognize the shared humanity in all individuals and the collective responsibility to stand against unjust systems together.
Mass migration presents a challenge to democracy in multiple ways. Chief among them is that anti-immigrant sentiment often plays a major role in the advance of illiberal and anti-democratic politics. We've seen this play out in the United States, where President-elect Donald Trump has promised a dramatic crackdown on immigration and the mass deportation of millions.
But the scale of today's migration may be dwarfed by what's to come. How has the movement of people affected the politics driving the development of surveillance, biometrics, big data and artificial intelligence technologies? And how do these technologies employed at borders and in governments themselves drive policy and change the way we think about the movement of people?