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Actresses Carol Schuler (l.) and Anna Pieri Zuercher: Big Brother is scanning you

Photo: Sava Hlavacek / SRF

The scenario:

Flying eye, floating death. In the skies of Zurich, the drones buzz and target the people. A U.S. manufacturer of security technology wants to shake up the Swiss market with the surveillance apparatus. Three people who were connected to the company through a start-up lie shot dead in the forest. Tessa Ott (Carol Schuler) and Isabelle Grandjean (Anna Pieri Zuercher) are pondering: Were the three of them killed by a flying machine with a firing device? And what is it about the fact that the murder victims were involved in war crimes in the Bosnian war?

The highlight:

Relevance alert! Those responsible are trying to bring together two extremely complex issues: on the one hand, the Ahmići massacre, in which around 1993 Bosnian Muslims were murdered during the Yugoslav war in April 120, and on the other hand, drone technology, facial recognition and data protection. In the end, »Tatort« does not do justice to any of the conflicts.

The picture:

Big Brother is scanning you. The tech guru of Rump Security, the suspicious security technology company, introduces investigator Ott to the surveillance software he sells with an image film. In the crowd of people, squares click to capture the faces of the different people. Digital booth magic in a film that otherwise looks almost old-fashioned.

The dialogue:

Ott talks to the boss of Rump Security about international weapons technology and European law:

Security boss: "Our drone is based on AI-supported facial recognition. Theoretically, the drone can be used for both civilian and military purposes. This one is intended for civilian use. Monitors civilians and collects data on their whereabouts."

Commissioner: "I don't think we're going to use something like that. INDECT has also failed.«

Security-Boss: »›Intelligent information system supporting observation, searching and detection for security of citizens in urban environment‹ – need we say more? A completely overpriced and anti-democratic attempt at surveillance. That's why I came to Switzerland with my company. Nowhere is data protection stricter. Our technology is based on the highest regulations. Security Rump will do everything right for the European market.«

Commissioner: "We both know that it doesn't work that way."

Security boss: "The decisive factor is that the good guys have the technology. And you, Mrs. Ott, are one of the good guys, aren't you?"

The rating:

4 out of 10 points. Drone warfare and genocide: the two powerful and difficult topics go beyond the scope of this Zurich crime thriller.

»Crime Scene: Blind Spot«, Sunday, 20.15 p.m., Das Erste