Disclaimer: We may earn a commission if you make any purchase by clicking our links. Please see our detailed guide here.

Follow us on:

Google News
Whatsapp

UK Watchdog Raises Concern Over Live Face Recognition Tech in Public Places

IANS
IANS
Meet the voice behind Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), a storyteller navigating the currents of global events with precision and depth. Crafting narratives that bridge cultures, IANS brings you the pulse of the world in every word

Join the Opinion Leaders Network

Join the Techgenyz Opinion Leaders Network today and become part of a vibrant community of change-makers. Together, we can create a brighter future by shaping opinions, driving conversations, and transforming ideas into reality.

The chief data protection regulator in the UK has expressed grave concerns over the inappropriate use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology in public places.

Unlike CCTV, LFR and its algorithms can automatically identify who you are and infer sensitive details about you.

It can be used to instantly profile people to serve up personalized adverts or match their images against known shoplifters as they do their weekly grocery shop.

“I am deeply concerned about the potential for live facial recognition (LFR) technology to be used inappropriately, excessively, or even recklessly. When sensitive personal data is collected on a mass scale without people’s knowledge, choice or control, the impacts could be significant,” Elizabeth Denham, UK Information Commissioner, said in a statement.

In the future, there’s the potential to overlay CCTV cameras with LFR, and even to combine it with social media data or other “big data” systems – LFR is supercharged CCTV.

The UK Information Commissioner has also published a detailed opinion on the use of LFR in public places by private companies and public organisations.

It explains how data protection and people’s privacy must be at the heart of any decisions to deploy LFR.

“And it explains how the law sets a high bar to justify the use of LFR and its algorithms in places where we shop, socialise or gather,” Denham said.

In the US, people did not trust facial recognition technology. Some cities banned its use in certain contexts and some major companies (like Microsoft and Amazon) have paused facial recognition services until there are clearer rules.

“Organisations will need to demonstrate high standards of governance and accountability from the outset, including being able to justify that the use of LFR is fair, necessary and proportionate in each specific context in which it is deployed,” the UK watchdog emphasised.

Join 10,000+ Fellow Readers

Get Techgenyz’s roundup delivered to your inbox curated with the most important for you that keeps you updated about the future tech, mobile, space, gaming, business and more.

Recomended

Partner With Us

Digital advertising offers a way for your business to reach out and make much-needed connections with your audience in a meaningful way. Advertising on Techgenyz will help you build brand awareness, increase website traffic, generate qualified leads, and grow your business.

Power Your Business

Solutions you need to super charge your business and drive growth

More from this topic