By Democrat reporter
MSPs have warned there is no justification for using live facial recognition following privacy and human rights concerns.
A report said the software would be a “radical departure” from the current practice of policing by consent.
Police Scotland said it hoped to use the software by 2026, but later put plans on hold.
The technology can scan crowds of people and cross-reference faces with police databases.
The report from the justice sub-committee on policing was published as part of their inquiry into the advancement of live facial recognition.
It highlighted the technology was “known to discriminate against females and those from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities”.
The report added: “The use of live facial recognition technology would be a radical departure from Police Scotland’s fundamental principle of policing by consent.”
The committee also said Police Scotland would need to ensure any technology in use would need to be “provided for in legislation and meets human rights and data protection requirements”.
He who controls the technology controls all.
As for the rest of us we are but like Orwellian animals in a pen where every bit of our lives are watched. Our phones record where we are, who we communicate with. Our electronic communications, web access allows companies like Cambridge Anylitica, Google and more to profile us to an exquisite degree. The government can tie all our data together such as property ownership, vehicle ownership, bank accounts, driving licences, passports, medical records, tax matters.
Thousands of roadside PNSR cameras already record and retain number plates of billions of vehicle movements every year. – so what’s wrong with facial recognition monitoring of every citizen.
Yes they went off to the gas chambers without a whimper ……but they’ll never come for me.