Amazon has extended its moratorium on the use of the facial-recognition technology by police on an indefinite basis. As reported by Reuters.
The company did not comment on the reason for the decision.
Earlier, activists urged the company to impose an indefinite ban on the technology’s use by law enforcement.
Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union, supported the move. He called on federal authorities and state governments to prohibit law enforcement agencies from using such software.
“Facial-recognition technology fuels excessive surveillance of Black communities and has already led to false arrests and unlawful detentions of many Black people,” said Wessler.
The company first banned law enforcement from using facial-recognition software in June 2020, amid protests against police brutality toward people of color. Amazon had hoped that within a year Congress would establish rules to ensure ethical use of the technology, but no such law has been enacted to date.
The company noted that despite the moratorium, other service users have full access to the facial-recognition system.
In late April 2021, Senator Ron Wyden introduced a bill would prohibit the use of Clearview AI without a warrant.
In early April, a group of American civil rights organizations called on Biden to stop using Clearview.
In March, activists filed suit in a California court to cease the operations of Clearview AI in the state.
In February, the Minneapolis City Council banned the city police from using facial-recognition technology.
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