{"id":314364,"date":"2025-08-27T07:55:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T07:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=314364"},"modified":"2025-08-29T05:46:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T05:46:52","slug":"this-week-in-the-new-normal-103","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=314364","title":{"rendered":"This Week in the New Normal #103"},"content":{"rendered":"

Off-Guardian \u2013 Aug 26, 2025<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Our successor to This Week in the Guardian<\/em>, This Week in the New Normal<\/a><\/em> is our weekly chart of the progress of autocracy, authoritarianism and economic restructuring around the world.<\/p>\n

1. Cars \u2013 the latest subscription service<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Volkswagen announced, this week, that some of their electric models would now come with optional upgrades \u2013 not as a one-off purchase, but as a subscription. The BBC reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n

German car making giant Volkswagen (VW) has introduced a subscription for UK customers wanting to increase the power of some of its electric cars.<\/p>\n

Those who buy an eligible car in its ID.3 range can choose to pay extra if they want to unlock the full power of the engine inside the vehicle.<\/p>\n

VW says the \u201coptional power upgrade\u201d will cost \u00a316.50 per month or \u00a3165 annually \u2013 or people can choose to pay \u00a3649 for a lifetime subscription.<\/p>\n

Disregard the specifics, the concern here is clearly the precedent such a model sets. How long before these schemes spread? Or increase in price to \u201cdecrease traffic\u201d or \u201cencourage public transportation\u201d?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to image how this could be abused. Malignant subscription models have already massively increased the cost of owning a printer, or photoshop, or watching TV. All part of the plan to make sure people own nothing.<\/p>\n

2. Denmark\u2019s Deepfake Legislation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ten days ago, Denmark became the first country to grant your digital likeness \u2013 face and voice \u2013 protected status as intellectual property. Essentially, in Denmark, you now own your face.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a thorough breakdown of the new law here<\/a>, which is worth reading if you\u2019re into that kind of thing.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing that stands out as particularly bad, so far. As much as its touted as an anti-deep fake law, it maintains the \u201cfair use\u201d exception, which permits use for satire or parody purposed. That will likely save most deep fake manufacturers.<\/p>\n

More importantly, I think, the burden of proof is on the complainant to prove the footage is faked or manipulated. That, theoretically, should prevent frivolous suits brought by companies or celebrities trying to hide footage behind a \u201cfake video\u201d defence.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve not decided if this is good or bad yet, but it is interesting.<\/p>\n

3. Facial Recognition Tech Rollout<\/strong><\/h3>\n

London\u2019s Metropolitan Police are moving forward with plans to use facial recognition technology during this year\u2019s Notting Hill Carnival, despite reservations from the UK\u2019s human rights watchdog.<\/p>\n

In a classic example of liberal faux-opposition, the mainstream criticism of the technology is focusing on supposed racial or gender biases<\/a>, not the general principle.<\/p>\n

This means all the police have to do is \u201cprove\u201d the technology is not biased, and suddenly it\u2019s OK to have our faces scanned 24\/7 because we\u2019re all being oppressed equally.<\/p>\n

The whole framing of the debate, including the use of FRT during Notting Hill Carnival is designed to win-over the right wing by playing into racial and identity politics.<\/p>\n

Transparent.<\/p>\n

BONUS: Intriguing speech of the week<\/strong><\/h3>\n