Is facial recognition invading your privacy?

While the technology may help catch criminals, it could also be weaponized against innocent civilians or people critical of the agencies that use it. Facial recognition technology can be an invasion of privacy and the government needs to implements rules to ensure it is properly used.

Is it legal to use facial recognition?

Congress has not passed any laws regulating police use of facial recognition in the year since. Privacy and civil liberties advocates said the moratoria are a promising first step, but they remain concerned that some tech companies continue to profit from surveillance tools used by police.

How does facial recognition work in retail stores?

Security: Facial recognition technology helps retailers flag known shoplifters as soon as they enter the store. If the system identifies someone as a known shoplifter, it sends out an alert, and – for example – an employee can be instructed to address the identified person by name and to offer them customer service.

How do you protect against facial recognition?

How to Thwart Facial Recognition and Other Surveillance

1. Mask Up, Be Safe.
2. Dress to Unimpress. Make yourself less memorable to both humans and machines by wearing clothing as dark and pattern-free as your commitment to privacy.
3. Delete the Deets.
4. Stay Cool.
5. Lose Your Car.
6. Run Facial Interference.
7. More Great WIRED Stories.

What facial recognition is used for?

A facial recognition system uses biometrics to map facial features from a photograph or video. It compares the information with a database of known faces to find a match. Facial recognition can help verify a person’s identity, but it also raises privacy issues.

How does the government use facial recognition?

The federal government operates a number of facial recognition systems. DHS uses the Automated Biometric Identification system to process travelers at border crossings, while the FBI’s Facial Analysis, Comparison and Evaluation service (or FACE) allows for broad matching capability in criminal investigations.

How does law enforcement use facial recognition?

Federal agencies that employ law enforcement officers use facial recognition technology to assist criminal investigations, among other activities. For example, the technology can help identify an unknown individual in a photo or video surveillance. GAO also reviewed relevant documents and interviewed agency officials.

Do stores use face recognition?

Apple, Macy’s, Albertsons, Lowes and Ace Hardware all use facial recognition software in their stores. Stores like Walmart, Kroger, Home Depot, Target, Costco, CVS, Dollar Tree and Verizon have all committed to never using facial recognition in their stores in statements to Fight For the Future.

How does facial recognition change retail?

Personalized shopping experience: Facial recognition makes it easy to identify VIP customers and to make them special offers in store. Enhanced customer service: When integrated with other systems, facial recognition can provide access to a wide range of data on individual customers.

How does Walmart face recognition work?

“Put a grid on their face” All store security has to do is scout the aisles to find the person in question and confront them. Retailers using FaceFirst do not, however, save a photo record of everyone coming in the store. Instead, the software is set to find matches against an existing gallery of alleged offenders.

Why do companies use facial recognition?

Last week, Fight for the Future launched an advocacy campaign against companies using facial recognition, which is often used for security purposes. The software can scan and store the faces of employees and customers — usually with the goal of preventing shoplifting and fraud.