Facial recognition to be expanded across the country in fresh crime crackdown
Police to expand use of technology to track down dangerous criminals
- Ministers are planning to expand the use of facial recognition technology by police across the UK to track down dangerous criminals, with the policing minister calling it the "biggest breakthrough for catching criminals since DNA matching".
- A 10-week public consultation has been launched to gather views on how the technology should be regulated, how to protect privacy, and what data police should be able to access, such as passport photos.
- The government also proposes creating a new regulator to oversee the police's use of facial recognition, biometrics, and other related tools.
- Human rights campaigners and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have criticised the expansion, citing concerns about the legality of current use, potential "chilling effects" on individual rights, and the targeting of children as young as 12.
- While some, like the Tony Blair Institute, advocate for an accelerated rollout to boost safety, others, including charities like Missing People, welcome the consultation but emphasise the need for ethical considerations and robust safeguards.