Description:Facial recognition
One of the most controversial uses of biometrics by law enforcement is Facial Recognition Technology. Advocates assert the need to use every technology possible to detect offenders and bring them to justice. Proponents cite examples of how the technology has been used to arrest dangerous people.. This NPR article and clip ( describes how FRT helped capture a man previously on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list. Opponents suggest that this should not take place at the expense of law-abiding citizens, where rights are violated. A concern about false positives, especially among persons of color has been advanced. This Detroit Free Press article ( describes a lawsuit against the City of Detroit for wrongful arrest based on the use of FRT.
What is your position on the use of Facial Recognition Technology? Describe in terms of its potential to be “good, bad or ugly” (messy).
FRT can be applied to video footage streamed from public places where passive surveillance and monitoring by police takes place. What is your comfort level about live video streaming or recordings captured of you by closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in public places?
