Introduction
Facial recognition is a technology that听can identify听a person from an听image or a video frame.听[1]听This technology is used every day from using filters on听SnapChat, unlocking your phone with your face, and听security services used within police and government departments.听While it seems harmless听to use this technology for apps like听SnapChat, questions concerning privacy violations听and misuse of this technology听may听arise.听听
Ethical Issues听
There听have听been some concerns about this technology due to the lack of federal regulations.听The technology鈥檚听accuracy as well as biases听could听give false information.听For instance, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has noted that there is a higher rate of false positives when the technology attempts to identify black women.听This is especially concerning because听there may be false accusations for crimes听as a consequence of听false positives.听[2]听
Local issue听听
Although this may feel like听it鈥檚 only a problem in other countries, the reality is that the听concerns听surrounding facial recognition technology is听also听a local issue.听听
Clearview AI, a powerful facial recognition tool,听works by collecting billions of images from the internet and using them to identify people. It provides information such as phone numbers, address, and occupation. Former Ontario privacy commissioner Ann听Cavoikian听stated that Clearview AI has gathered 3.9 billion facial images听from听public social media without consent or notice. She also acknowledged that one of the biggest dangers is its low accuracy听[3].听听
Earlier this year, Windsor and Toronto police have both admitted to听using听Clearview AI. Although the police听departments听from听both听cities have听recently听declared that their use of this technology has halted, the controversy is still high. This is a controversial topic because听in January听2020, Toronto police had听falsely听denied using听the facial recognition听tool听despite听evidence听coming to light听that they were indeed听using this technology since October 2019.听Chief Saunders claims to have only become aware of its use on February听5听2020, and听halted its use immediately.听[3].听听
颁辞苍肠濒耻蝉颈辞苍听
Facial recognition is a technology that is becoming more and more common throughout government agencies. Although听the听Toronto and Windsor听police departments听have听stopped using听Clearview AI, it is not confirmed whether they have distanced themselves from all use of facial recognition tools. This is听a danger to the public, especially due to high rate of false positives that occur when attempting to identify black women. If a technology is claiming you are someone that you aren鈥檛, how do you prove your identity?听
References
[1]听Techopedia. (2020, March 21). What is Facial Recognition? - Definition from Techopedia. Retrieved from听听
[2]听NIST. (2020, May 18). NIST Study Evaluates Effects of Race, Age, Sex on Face Recognition Software. Retrieved June 17, 2020, from听听
[3]听CBC News. (2020, February 15). Toronto police admit using secretive facial recognition technology Clearview AI | CBC News. Retrieved July 13, 2020, from听听
