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The Metropolitan Police’s utilization of live facial recognition technology (LFRT) has come under scrutiny by the UK’s equality regulator for allegedly violating human rights laws. This technology operates by scanning faces captured on CCTV and comparing them against a watchlist of individuals sought by the police, resulting in over 1,000 arrests since January 2024, according to the Met.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has raised concerns that the Met’s deployment of LFRT is not in line with the principles of necessity and proportionality. The EHRC has been granted permission to intervene in an upcoming judicial review of the force’s use of live facial recognition technology, highlighting the need for clear rules and safeguards.
EHRC’s chief executive, John Kirkpatrick, acknowledged the potential benefits of live facial recognition in combating serious crime but emphasized the importance of ensuring its usage is lawful, necessary, and subject to appropriate controls. The Metropolitan Police, however, maintains that their use of LFRT is lawful and adheres to established policies.
Despite the Met’s reported success in apprehending alleged offenders with the technology, the EHRC remains wary of the potential impact on fundamental human rights such as privacy, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly. Civil rights groups and privacy advocates have consistently opposed LFRT, citing privacy concerns and the risk of misidentification. While the Met argues that live facial recognition technology is essential for reducing crime in times of limited resources, there is currently no specific legislation regulating its use by law enforcement agencies in the UK
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