Fashion of The Future: Anti-surveillance Clothing

Modern Survival Guide 101: How to protect your privacy with clothes
by Vyara Stefcheva
Updated
If we had to do an "All-In" bet on the word of 2019 it would be "Privacy". We already have exchanged our data for entertainment. Now it’s too late to track our traces and delete our digital prints.

In Data We Trust

Some passwords may have been forgotten from us, but the Internet remembers and data is immortal. We won't be surprised of future with no monetary units. Times where the throne of unlimited power will be ascended by our personal information.
Just then anonymity will be worth more than gold and we will be fighting for biometric independence.
In order to be prepared for these times, some brilliant creators came up with interesting fashion pieces than can help you battle getting into databases, marketing analysis or ranking systems.

When even heat is a threat

Fashion can be an escape from the never-ending monitoring. Thanks to the Stealth Wear collection made of silver-plated fabric and reflecting thermal radiation, you will be "invisible" for overhead thermal surveillance. The clothes are inspired by traditional Islamic clothing. On his website, Adam Harvey says that aluminized mylar blanket can be a cheaper alternative.

Fool the Algorithm with a T-Shirt

You can fool an AI with the help of a Stealth T-shirt as well. Apparently the adversarial pattern printed on it fools object detectors. If you want to learn more about artistic designs fighting Surveillance we suggest you look up this study by Torin Monahan. 

Fighting Big Brother with KOVR

Project KOVR by Leon Baauw is another fashion design of an Anti-Surveillance Coat. It is created with a metalliferous fabric that shields the computer chips. Once wearing now your phone is untraceable, you are not watched, your cards and keys are safe too. So basically you are cheating Big Data systems and that one episode of "Black Mirror".

Accessorize your privacy!

Anti-Nis Accessories (NIS = Neuro-Imaging Surveillance) are the new trend that you should be following.  Don’t let anyone get in your brain! In a situation of a potential "scan" each fashion piece proposes a method of "momentary cognitive diversion".
The description of the laser-cut felt and wood prototypes says: "The objects include a hat that transmits sound pulses through bone conduction, a collar that gives a gentle electric shock on the skin and a mask that distracts the user with flashing lights".

Camoflash is fighting unwanted paparazzi

Nowadays you don’t have to be famous to be filmed without your consent. Camoflash is how you stay safe when you are just not in the mood for spying. The last version of the only developed prototype can thwart over 2,000 DSLR-based paparazzi attacks within 10 ft. When the device detects a xenon bulb camera flash it responds almost immediately with a 12,000 lumen LED pulse.
Find out more about the technique of neutralizing camera sensors from the work "How to ZAP a Camera" written by the inventor Michael Naimark.

Just wear my face instead

Leonardo Selvaggio is an artist living in Chicago with an interest in always evolving technology. His project URME Surveillance in inspired by his everyday life in the city with always filming and tracking cameras. So he decided to do a 3D printed super realistic of HIS face. So basically now you can wear his face everywhere by buying a Prosthetic or a paper DIY mask kit.
Later on, the project then envolved into "URMEFVE" (URME Facial Video Encryptor) - a software for Mac OS that replaces faces in videos with Leo’s face. It’s not as good as deepfakes but it's an option.
So, what do you think? Maybe we should we consider a new purpose of our wear. Follow us if you want to learn more ways to Hide From AI.