Misuse for surveillance and population control
AI tools can be misused by human or institutional actors for monitoring, control- ling, or suppressing individuals [178]. Massive data collection and automated analysis are often conducted, and AI tools can further exacerbate such practices.
ENTITY
1 - Human
INTENT
1 - Intentional
TIMING
2 - Post-deployment
Risk ID
mit1182
Domain lineage
4. Malicious Actors & Misuse
4.1 > Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale
Mitigation strategy
1. Establish legally binding regulatory frameworks and democratic guardrails that explicitly prohibit the deployment of AI systems for indiscriminate mass surveillance, systemic suppression of civil liberties, or the undue concentration of power, while mandating adherence to due process and judicial oversight for all government-utilized AI monitoring tools. 2. Enforce stringent privacy-by-design and data minimization protocols across all AI systems that process personal data, specifically requiring informed consent, implementing technical safeguards such as access controls and encryption, and prioritizing the use of synthetic data to mitigate risks associated with massive personal data collection and analysis. 3. Mandate comprehensive ethical governance strategies, including rigorous pre-deployment misuse risk assessments (dual-use considerations), continuous human oversight in critical decision-making processes, and the establishment of independent ethics review boards to ensure accountability and monitor for algorithmic bias or drift that could facilitate discriminatory or suppressive outcomes.