Issue Focus: Facial Recognition

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Issue Insights:

Paul Bischoff, privacy advocate with Comparitech, offered his perspective:

“Face recognition is spreading globally, and now the cracks are starting to show both technologically and ethically. Face recognition is not as reliable as we’re led to believe and can be tricked, often with minimal effort. Kneron proved this by tricking transportation and payment systems using photos and masks. Despite that, face recognition is expanding in both the private and public sectors with little regulation, allowing dragnet surveillance without informed consent. Furthermore, that data is stored and shared with few restrictions and often without the knowledge of those scanned. Our own analysis shows the US is not far behind countries like China when it comes to invasive face recognition surveillance and data collection. The negative effects of face recognition’s lack of transparency, regulation, and accuracy fall disproportionately on women and people of color. Unfettered, face recognition can have a significant chilling effect on freedom of movement and assembly.”