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Met to expand use of live facial recognition into central London by Christmas
Technology to be used in six more areas next year as critics say tens of thousands of people will be forced into ‘digital police lineup’ The Metropolitan police is to expand its use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology, first into London’s West End by Christmas and then into a further six areas next year.…
Is Big Brother watching you shop? – podcast
From supermarkets to corner shops, live facial recognition could be coming to retailers near you. Jessica Murray on the AI systems increasingly used by the police and stores Live facial recognition is being hailed as a powerful new frontier in the fight against crime, not only by police but by private companies too. Retailers from…
AI facial recognition oversight lagging far behind technology, watchdogs warn
Exclusive: Biometrics commissioners say face-scanning not as effective as claimed and new laws needed to regulate use How does live facial recognition work and how many police forces use it? Guilty until proven innocent: shoppers falsely identified by facial recognition Britain’s biometrics watchdogs have warned that national oversight of AI-powered face scanning to catch criminals…
Essex police pause facial recognition camera use after study finds racial bias
Academics discover black people ‘significantly more likely’ to be identified when compared with other ethnic groups Essex police have paused the use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology after a study found cameras were significantly more likely to target black people than people of other ethnicities. The move to suspend use of the AI-enabled systems…
‘Orwellian’: Sainsbury’s staff using facial recognition tech eject innocent shopper
Man misidentified by London supermarket using Facewatch system says: ‘I shouldn’t have to prove I am not a criminal’ A man was ordered to leave a supermarket in London after staff misidentified him using controversial new facial recognition technology. Warren Rajah was told to abandon his shopping and leave the local store he has been…
‘Urgent clarity’ sought over racial bias in UK police facial recognition technology
Testing showing racial bias against black and Asian people prompts watchdog to ask Home Office for explanation The UK’s data protection watchdog has asked the Home Office for “urgent clarity” over racial bias in police facial recognition technology before considering its next steps. The Home Office has admitted that the technology was “more likely to…
Home Office admits facial recognition tech issue with black and Asian subjects
Calls for review after technology found to return more false positives for ‘some demographic groups’ on certain settings UK politics live – latest updates Ministers are facing calls for stronger safeguards on the use of facial recognition technology after the Home Office admitted it is more likely to incorrectly identify black and Asian people than…
Labour plans to consult on use of live facial recognition before wider roll-out
Policing minister says government will ‘put some parameters’ around its deployment in England Labour plans to consult on the use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology before expanding it across England, the new policing minister has told the party’s annual conference. Sarah Jones, a Home Office minister, said the government would “put some parameters” over…
Expert rejects Met police claim that study backs bias-free live facial recognition use
Academic says sample size was too small to claim new sensitivity guidelines have removed racial, gender or age bias The Metropolitan police’s claims that their use of live facial recognition is bias-free are not substantiated by the report they cite to support their case, a leading expert on the technology has said. The Met is…
Met chief rejects calls to scrap live facial recognition at Notting Hill carnival
Mark Rowley says technology will be ‘non-discriminatory’ and ‘does not perform in a way which exhibits bias’ The Metropolitan police commissioner has hit back at demands to drop the use of live facial recognition cameras at this weekend’s Notting Hill carnival over concerns of racial bias and an impending legal challenge. Mark Rowley wrote in…