Facial recognition technology: the important pros and cons

Peter Johnson
July 20, 2019

When you post a photo on Facebook, and it tags the people in the image, you might not think much
about the technology behind the convenience. However, when you discover that facial recognition
technology could track you without your permission while you walk down a street in London, it might
make you question the invasion of your privacy. Just like with any other new technology, facial
recognition brings positives and negatives. Since it's here to stay and expand, it's good to be aware of
the pros and cons of facial recognition.

What is facial recognition, and how does it work?

Facial recognition is a biometric technology that uses distinguishable facial features to identify a
person. This industry is expected to grow over the next few years. Today, it's used in a variety of
ways. For example, it allows you to unlock your phone, go through security at the airport or purchase
products at stores. In the case of entertainer and musician Taylor Swift, it was used to identify if her
known stalkers came through the gate at her Rose Bowl concert in May 2018.

There is a flood of data of all kinds, but the surplus of photo and video data available provides the
dataset required to do facial recognition technology work. Facial recognition systems analyze the
visual images and videos created by high-quality Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed in
our cities for security, smartphones, social media, and other online activity. Machine learning and
artificial intelligence capabilities in the software identify distinguishable facial features and look for
patterns and compare to new images and videos to other facial recognition databases to prove an
identity.

Pros of facial recognition

One of the major advantages of facial recognition technology is safety and security. Law enforcement
agencies use the technology to uncover criminals or to find missing children or seniors. In New York,
police could apprehend an accused criminal using facial recognition technology within 24 hours of an
incident where he threatened a person at knifepoint. In cities where police don't have time to help
fight petty crime, business owners install facial recognition systems to watch people and identify
subjects of interest when they come into their stores.

Airports are increasingly adding facial recognition technology to security checkpoints; the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security plans on heavily using this technology over the next few years.
When people know they are being watched, they are less likely to commit crimes, so the possibility
of facial recognition technology being used could deter crime.

Since there is no contact required for facial recognition like fingerprinting or other security measures,

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facial recognition offers a quick, automatic, and seamless verification experience. There is nothing
such as a key or I.D. that can be lost or stolen.

Facial recognition can add conveniences. In addition to helping you tag photos in Facebook or
accessing your cloud storage via Apple and Google, you will be able to purchase items at stores
without using cash or credit cards—your face will be scanned. At an A.I. Bar, facial recognition
technology can be used to add patrons who approach the bar to ensure the patron is of legal age as
well as prepare delivering drinks more efficiently.

Although possible, it's hard to fool facial recognition technology, so it can also help prevent fraud.

Cons of facial recognition

In most people's opinions, the biggest drawback of facial recognition technology is the threat to an
individual's privacy. Several cities have considered or will ban real-time facial recognition surveillance
use by law enforcement, including San Francisco, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and other large urban
centers. These municipalities determined the risks of using the technology outweighed the benefits.
Police can still use footage from personally owned devices such as Nest cameras to find criminals; it's
just not allowing the government entities to use live facial recognition software.

While London's King's Cross uses facial recognition, London is also at the forefront of democratic
societies' technology testing. In test events, the city hopes to determine the accuracy of the systems
while grappling with how to deal with individuals who cover up to hide their identity from cameras
and other issues. Additionally, democratic societies must define the legal basis for the general
population's facial recognition and when blanket use of the technology is justified.

The technology isn't as effective at identifying people of color and women as white males. One
reason for this is the data used by the algorithms are not as robust for people of color and women.
Until this is rectified, there are concerns about the result of misidentifying people with the
technology. In addition, some issues need to be resolved that can throw off the technology when a
person changes appearance or the camera angle isn't quite right (although they are working on
identifying a person by only their earlobe), but it is improving.

Another potential downside is the storage of sensitive personal data and the challenges that come
with it. There have been numerous incidents where a database containing facial scans used by banks,
police forces, and defense firms being breached.

To benefit from the positive aspects of facial recognition, people need to work through some
significant challenges to one’s privacy and civil liberties. Individuals may have to accept the invasion
of their privacy as a cost to feeling more secure and enjoying the conveniences that facial recognition
provides.