US to Expand Use of Facial-Recognition Technologies

Ten of the 24 federal agencies in the United States plan to expand the use of facial-recognition technologies by 2023. This is stated in a U.S. Government Accountability Office report prepared at Congress’s request.

The agencies, including the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and National Security, plan to deploy a total of 17 different systems. Thirteen of them will belong to the agencies themselves, two — to local law enforcement. Two more agencies plan to use the Clearview AI program.

Ten agencies are also engaged in research and development in this area. The objectives for using the technology vary across agencies, but some are studying bias in biometric identification systems.

For example, the Department of Justice studied the relationship between skin tone and rates of false matches in facial-recognition algorithms. Others studied how to make such systems more accurate even when scanning people wearing masks.

Eighteen of the 24 federal agencies surveyed reported that they already use various forms of facial recognition. Many of them own more than one system.

Most of the programs used by the respondents are government-owned; however six applications are supplied by commercial companies, including Clearview AI, Vigilant Solutions and Acuant FaceID.

Many agencies also use or plan to use facial recognition to protect sensitive data, technologies and strategic facilities. Other applications relate to justice and military matters.

According to a representative of the nonprofit digital-rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, the report demonstrated growing reliance on facial-recognition technologies by the federal government.

“What concerns me most is its use by law enforcement agencies. Yet surveillance violates privacy to such an extent, is so discriminatory toward people of color, and with such a likelihood of causing false arrests that the government should not use facial recognition at all,” said the rights advocate.

In July, the controversial facial-recognition startup Clearview AI attracted $30 million.

In late June, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report stating that federal agencies in the United States are using facial recognition irresponsibly.

In June, the human rights organization Amnesty International reported that the New York Police Department uses 15,000 cameras with facial recognition.

In April, Senator Ron Wyden proposed banning Clearview AI in the United States at the federal level.

Subscribe to ForkLog news on Telegram: ForkLog AI — all the news from the world of AI!