Videti Nevidljivo: AP Foto Esej O Infracrvenoj Tehnologiji I Masovnom Nadzoru

Kada otključate telefon, uđete u kadar sigurnosne kamere ili noću prođete pored čitača registarskih tablica, nevidljivi snopovi infracrvenog svetla osvetljavaju jedinstvene konture vašeg lica, tela i slova na tablici. Te zrake, nevidljive golim okom, omogućavaju kamerama da izdvoje i prepoznaju pojedince.

Kako radi infracrveni nadzor

Infracrveni sistemi koriste LED ili laserske izvore koji emituju svetlost izvan vidljivog spektra. Kamere sa odgovarajućim senzorima (ili modifikovanim da prelaze ceo spektralni opseg) beleže reflektovano infracrveno svetlo; posebni filteri — često crvenkaste boje na fotografijama — uklanjaju deo vidljivog svetla kako bi istakli infracrvenu komponentu slike.

Šira slika: Kina i Sjedinjene Države

Tokom poslednje decenije tehnologija prepoznavanja lica prešla je iz domene naučne fantastike u svakodnevicu — naročito u Kini, koja ima više sigurnosnih kamera nego ostatak sveta zajedno. Na aerodromima i železničkim stanicama putnici prolaze kroz skenere lica, na ulicama kamere skeniraju prolaznike, a po zakonu ljudi koji registruju nove SIM kartice moraju da prođu lice-skeniranje čiji se podaci čuvaju u telekom bazama. Do nedavno su i gosti u većini hotela u Kini morali da snime lice prilikom prijave.

Associated Press je otkrio da su mnogi sistemi nadzora u Kini u velikoj meri projektovani i izgrađeni uz učešće američkih kompanija, što im je dalo znatnu ulogu u sistemima koji su korišćeni za kršenje ljudskih prava. Desetine sagovornika — od tibetanskih aktivista do bivših lokalnih zvaničnika — opisale su kako ih prate mreže kamera koje ograničavaju kretanje i redovno alarmiraju policiju.

I dok je u Sjedinjenim Državama istorijski postojala veća pravna i društvena otpornost prema masovnom biometrijskom nadzoru, u proteklih pet godina U.S. Border Patrol znatno je proširio upotrebu nadzornih sistema. Tajni programi nadgledanja pokrivali su milione američkih vozača, a investicije u čitače registarskih tablica i druge tehnologije nadzora porasle su do milijardi dolara — što je dovodilo i do slučajeva u kojima su nedužni ljudi bili cilj nadzora zbog boravka u blizini granice.

Fotografski proces i značenje kadrova

U ovoj seriji fotografija, AP-ovi reporteri koristili su modifikovane kamere sposobne da snime ultraljubičasto, vidljivo i infracrveno svetlo. Primena infracrvenog filtera (koji na fotografijama deluje crveno) pomaže da se vizuelno prikaže ono što je inače nevidljivo — snopovi koji prate lica i tablice i omogućavaju automatsku identifikaciju.

Vizuelni materijal pokazuje ne samo tehniku već i društvene posledice: kako tehnologija olakšava svakodnevne tokove (brže prijave, sigurnost) ali i kako može postati instrument kontrole i nadzora nezavisno od privatnosti i ljudskih prava.

Ova dokumentarna foto-priča urednika fotografija Associated Pressa osvetljava tehničke detalje, geopolitiku i etičke dileme koje nameće široka primena infracrvenog nadzora.

An infrared beam of light shines from a security camera watching over the Beigulou alleyway in Beijing as a pedestrian passes, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Yang Guoliang, who has been under surveillance by Chinese officials after complaining about a land dispute to the central government in Beijing, is illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams as he smokes a cigarette inside his home in Changzhou in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An infrared beam of light shines out of an automatic license plate reader recording vehicles passing along U.S. Highway 83, Oct. 13, 2025, in Laredo, Texas. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Wensheng Wen, rear right, and his wife, Lou Guangyzing, along with their children Xin, 11, from right, Gehua, 9, Jinghua, 3, Rou, 6, and Younghua, 3, members of a Chinese church living in exile after fleeing from China, are illuminated by beams of pulsed laser light from a cellphone's LiDAR scanner as they sit for a photo, Oct. 12, 2025, in Midland, Texas. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Alek Schott, who filed a lawsuit alleging violations of his constitutional rights when Texas sheriff's deputies stopped and searched his vehicle at the request of Border Patrol agents, is photographed, as an infrared beam of light from a Flock Safety automatic license plate reader records passing vehicles driving near his neighborhood, Oct. 16, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An image of the Dalai Lama and Namkyi, a Tibetan former political prisoner who was arrested and imprisoned at 15 for protesting Chinese rule, are illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams as Namkyi sits for a photo at the Office of Tibet, Oct. 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An infrared beam of light shines out of an automatic license plate reader as it records vehicles driving by, Oct. 13, 2025, in Laredo, Texas. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Retired Chinese official Li Chuanliang, who openly criticized the Chinese government after seeing first-hand how surveillance technology built up the government's power and is now being accused of corruption by Beijing, is illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams as he stands for a photo in the oil fields of Midland, Texas, where he's currently living in exile, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Infrared facial recognition beams are emitted from a cellphone held by a Uyghur man, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, as he’s photographed in front of the U.S. Capitol, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington, where he’s living in exile after escaping China. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Guigiu Chen, who escaped China with her daughters after her husband, prominent rights lawyer Xie Yang, was detained, is illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams as she sits for a photo, Oct. 12, 2025, in Midland, Texas, where she's living in exile. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Former Xinjiang government engineer Nureli Abliz, who saw firsthand how surveillance technology flagged thousands of people in China for detention, even when they had committed no crime, is illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams as he sits for a photo in Mannheim, Germany, where he's currently living in exile, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An infrared beam of light shines from a security camera watching over the Wudaoying alley in Beijing, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Dong e Li, a member of a Chinese church living in exile after fleeing from China, is illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams as she sits for a photo in her home, Oct. 13, 2025, in Midland, Texas. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An infrared beam of light shines out of an automatic license plate reader recording vehicles passing along U.S. Highway 83, Oct. 13, 2025, in Laredo, Texas. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Alek Schott drives past the infrared beam of an automatic license plate reader recording vehicles along Interstate 10, a route he occasionally takes for work trips, near Seguin, Texas, Oct. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Pastor Pan Yongguang, right, and his son Paul, members of a Chinese church living in exile after fleeing from China, are illuminated by cellphone infrared facial recognition beams while sitting for a photo in the community room of the ranch compound where they're living in Midland, Texas, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/David Goldman)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An infrared beam of light shines from a security camera watching over the Wudaoying alley in Beijing as pedestrians walk by, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)