UK Police Face Off: Passport Pics Fuel Facial Recognition Fury
Big Brother Watch warns passport photo databases are being scanned by facial recognition without public knowledge, calling it “Orwellian.” UK police increased searches from 2 in 2020 to 417 in 2023. Privacy groups demand a ban on these secretive AI tactics, citing risks to privacy and democracy.
Hot Take:
Who needs Big Brother when you’ve got Big Data? The UK police are taking a page from Orwell’s book, and it’s not the one on how to make a perfect cup of tea. With facial recognition tech scanning everything from passport photos to immigration databases, privacy in the UK seems to be doing its best impression of a disappearing act. At this rate, the only thing not being watched might be reruns of the Great British Bake Off.
Key Points:
- The UK police have ramped up their use of facial recognition technology, tapping into passport and immigration databases without public or parliamentary oversight.
- Privacy advocates, including Big Brother Watch, are calling for a ban on this clandestine practice, likening it to an “Orwellian” overreach.
- Facial recognition technology in the UK is used in three main forms: retrospective, live, and operator-initiated, with live FR being the most contentious.
- The Home Office claims facial recognition is effective for catching offenders, but privacy groups argue it poses significant risks to privacy and democracy.
- Despite criticism, the UK government continues to expand its surveillance capabilities, with a permanent LFR camera set up in Croydon, South London.
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