Trends
Detroit Police Department agrees to limit facial recognition tech
OUR TAKEThe January 2020 arrest of Robert Williams, the first documented case of wrongful detention based on facial recognition technology in the United States, is the reason for this new rule. Until now, police have increasingly relied on artificial intelligence systems to investigate, despite thei…
Headline
OUR TAKEThe January 2020 arrest of Robert Williams, the first documented case of wrongful detention based on facial recognition technology in the United States, is the reason for this new rule. Until now, police have increasingly relied on artificial intelligence systems to…
Context
OUR TAKE The January 2020 arrest of Robert Williams, the first documented case of wrongful detention based on facial recognition technology in the United States, is the reason for this new rule. Until now, police have increasingly relied on artificial intelligence systems to investigate, despite their potential threats to privacy and racial bias. –Zora Lin, BTW reporter As part of a legal settlement, the Detroit Police Department has agreed to create new police lines that limit the way it uses facial recognition technology on June 28. These new policies prohibit police from arresting suspects based solely on the results of facial recognition searches, only if there is other evidence linking the suspect to the crime.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
At the same time, the new policy requires police officers to be trained on the risks and dangers of facial recognition technology and to conduct an audit of all cases in which facial recognition technology has been used to obtain arrest warrants since 2017. Earlier, Robert Williams, a black man, was arrested after his driver’s license photo was mislabeled as a shoplifting man caught on surveillance camera at a luxury watch store in 2018. The new rules were included in a lawsuit settlement with the victim, Robert Williams. The police department will also pay Williams $300,000. Cities such as San Francisco have banned the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement. Microsoft also recently banned police departments from using its AI technology for facial recognition. Also read: Mobile edge computing: Definition, examples and future
Key Points
- New policies prohibit arresting suspects based on facial recognition results, only if there is evidence linking suspect to the crime.
- New policy is an effort to protect citizens’ rights and privacy, as well as a wake-up call to the misuse of facial recognition tech.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
