Are You Feeding a Powerful Facial Recognition Algorithm?

Facial recognition technology has great potential to help law enforcement identify suspects. But collecting and storing data from online photos has raised concern among critics.

Clearview AI, which has more than three billion faces in its database, is the largest-known facial recognition database in the U.S. And, because it continuously gathers data from open-source internet pages—news, mugshot, and social media sites, and even "private" platforms like money transfer app Venmo—Clearview AI’s database is always growing.

Supporters argue that services like Clearview AI were essential to help identify (and ultimately charge) more than 400 of the January 6 Capitol rioters, many of whom were found through “digital breadcrumbs” like photos, location data, and surveillance footage. While traces of online data can be leveraged to help law enforcement investigate suspects, artificial intelligence (AI) software, particularly facial recognition technology, has a darker side.

"Artificial intelligence has the veneer of being objective," says Janai Nelson, Associate Director-Counsel at the NAACP. "We have been very concerned about the inputs into these systems that often produce racially-discriminatory results." Typically trained on a majority of white faces, AI often incorrectly identifies people, particularly those of color, and therefore shouldn’t serve as the only means of identifying a suspect, former FBI agent Doug Kouns says. Privacy breaches are also a concern, critics say.

Canada has already outlawed Clearview AI, stating it poses a violation of privacy rights, and has ordered the app to remove Canadian faces from its database. Now, its use is also being challenged in Illinois and California.

Are the benefits of facial recognition technology worth the general public’s loss of privacy—and possibly even control?

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Produced by:
Emily Zendt

Production assistance:
Christina Monnen
Amanda Willis

© WGBH Educational Foundation 2021

[LisaBeergutHolst]

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should."

[frogz]

"we do what we must; because we can"

[derekspitz]

'Artificial intelligence' is an oxymoron. And people's perceptions that AI is somehow this infallible super technology is really concerning.

As for facial recognition? In the UK, where we are essentially living in a surveillance state, the kind of facial recognition that Clear View thinks is ok raises serious questions about individual freedom and privacy.

Once cash disappears (which it will) and social credit (which is already here) becomes ubiquitous, the Orwellian nightmare will be complete. Dark days ahead.

[ronkirk]

I don't post ANY photos and I keep my computer camera taped over. Paranoia? Maybe, but it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

[SolaceEasy]

Fool 'em! Don't paste on the dull, complacent to corporate bullying face anymore.
Show Some Emotion.
Put Expression In Your Life.
Light Up When You're Feeling Happy!
When You're Sad, Just Let Those Tears Flow Down.

[ooee]

So much for the right to refuse to identify yourself..

[governmentgaslighting]

They can now pinpoint you whenever you go for a dump in the toilet!
They call it 'faecal recognition'.

[Red-Magic]

Thing is with the racial involvement, is that it *is* a factor when it comes to identifying people. It's part of how it would tell you from someone else. I do wish people would stop making such a big deal about segregation in stuff like this. A more appropriate word for these kind of applications is just categorizing. Everyone is different from everyone else (except as far as faces are concerned, identical twins lol)

That said I'm warry of having a system that invades so much of your personal life. China has been doing this already to a whole other level for a while. I see the pros, I see the cons, and can't really pick a side on it. It will probably be fine as long as it stays with law enforcement *only.* Don't want to see China's level of surveillance anywhere else near me or my communities. That's stepping leagues over the line

[franklinmuckenheim]

What the f…get your business out of the Nederlands.we have clear laws here that you need permission form people to have information.its the law here better stop that us ego with we can do anything we want.its disrespectful shame shame shame.

[gerriehrmantraut]

It has to be because of the way people are now!

[LindaCasey]

They're welcome to recognize MY face anytime because I live my life honorably, but I'm sure glad they're able to utilize this technology in cases where people DON'T behave.

[bearg]

Good we need tech like this...cctv has been used. Forever in the U.K..soooo we need this because of the world of lunatics todays its not about race ...we need this..your phone tracks everything 😩😫😪 you do now..we need this now and stop crying 😢