Facial recognition technology is being increasingly used by law enforcement as a tool to identify suspects.
However, KNX News’ Pete Demetriou reported that some lawmakers want more robust controls on how it can be used, especially in cases where it’s going to lead to someone getting arrested. He spoke to Bay area Assemblymember Phil Ting about his concern that police might become too reliant on facial recognition technology.
“The first place law enforcement will go is to an airline, to a business, to a private residence, and look at video footage of that, and if there is a match, that would be, again, the first step without our legislation,” Ting said. “And if you had a match, law enforcement could go and again take that match, and then go potentially arrest somebody, if they so chose.”
There have already been cases of wrongful arrests due to false facial recognition matches. In February 2023, a false match led to the arrest of a pregnant woman in Detroit.
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Ting believes the best compromise between public safety demands and protection of civil liberties would be to regulate the tech and to mandate secondary corroboration after a facial recognition match.
He hopes that legislation to regulate facial recognition technology will pass the assembly this year.
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