Government to tighten safeguards on police facial recognition

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 5 Nov, 13:03 · Archive

The Government will introduce laws to make police use of facial recognition technology fairer and safer, with a new watchdog to oversee forces and the power to ban those that fail to meet standards.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said facial recognition has been 'the biggest breakthrough for catching criminals since DNA matching', already helping police take thousands of dangerous criminals off the streets. But she said it must be 'fair, safe and proportionate'. Thames Valley Police have used live facial recognition in Oxford city centre for almost a year, deleting data on people who are not suspects.

Laws will be introduced to Parliament under the Police Reform Bill to ensure police use the technology only when officers believe wanted people could be present in a certain area. Forces will be required to test cameras 'rigorously and independently' against bias or discrimination based on age, gender or race. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about people having their faces scanned without consent and cases of mistaken identity, and called for safeguards before the technology is expanded further.

Government to tighten safeguards on police facial recognition — Image: Oxford Mail

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How it is being reported

Safeguarding to be tougher for police facial recognition technologyThe Government has vowed to change the law to bring in tougher protections to make sure facial recognition technology is used “fairly and safely” by police.Oxford Mail · 5 Nov, 12:30
Safeguarding to be tougher for police facial recognition technologyThe Government has vowed to change the law to bring in tougher protections to make sure facial recognition technology is used “fairly and safely” by police.Oxfordshire Guardian · 5 Nov, 12:30

In this story: Government · Shabana Mahmood · Thames Valley Police · Oxford

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