English: Swiss European surveillance: facial recognition and vehicle make, model, color and license plate reader. In Germany and Switzerland you cannot drive anywhere without the “authorities” tracking you and logging your movement for future reference. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Mastercard apparently want to replsce their “SecureCode” with the use of “selfies” to authenticate online purchases.
At the recent Douwnload Festival people who attended had their faces scanned and compared with a database of known criminals by the police. Was this part of the “terms and conditions” of purchasing a ticket? Were attendees actually asked to consent to this?
In Scotland it’s been recently revealed that 601,837 custody mugshots of 334,954 Scots have been uploaded to the UK-wide Police National Database. This database has been trawled hundereds of times with unregulated facial recognistion technology.
There is currently no existing framework to stipulate the circumstances in which this technolgy can be used. It could be used to identify people from football and rugby matches and political protests. It could lead to wrongoful accusations. Just thinks what’s happened recently with Google Photos and their recent much publicised blunder.
The technology may improve and become more accurate but, the civil liberty questions need to be addressed first. This has already been condemned by the High Court, a parliamentary committee and the independent Biometrics Commssioner.
Without adequate legal safeguards there is nothing to stop the police using this technology for mass survellience. It could stifle freedom of speech. The privacy oif innocent people can be compromised.
Facial recognition technology could be a useful policing tool in detecting crime – after its been committed but, like other biometric technologies it needs to be properly regulated. It’s not currently subject to a robust legal framework or clear reporting process.
Our civil liberties are at risk and need protected and the technology used appropriately.
