The problem with facial recognition

Facial recognition technology has a number of problems that form 6 broad categories:

• Privacy - facial recognition technology works by scanning our live biometric data and comparing it against a source file. This is a severe infringement of our right to privacy. We should be allowed to go out in public anonymously.

• Ownership - we should own our faces and biometric data. Big Tech and Big Data are profiteering from our facial data points without our consent and without financial remuneration. It might also surprise you to know that much of this technology (even when deployed by law enforcement) is Chinese-owned.

• Democracy - this technology is being deployed without our consent and without a referendum on whether the public are supportive of its use.

• Efficacy - the precise effectiveness of facial recognition technology in solving and preventing crime is still unknown. In any case, this technology does not solve the root causes of crime.

• Bias - facial recognition is proven to be far less effective for racial minorities and women which could result in unnecessary action from law enforcement. In some cases it has resulted in innocent people being convicted or pleading guilty to crimes they did not commit. This bias could further reduce trust in law enforcement.

• Public vs private use - the vast majority of surveillance equipment is privately owned. While some might accept the police using such technology, they may be less sympathetic to retailers or individuals using facial recognition. Some supermarkets are already using facial recognition in their stores (without our consent) and, as smart glasses become more popular, this introduces new risks associated with individuals using your biometrics for nefarious means.