Oakland has joined San Francisco and Somerville, Massachusetts in banning the use of facial recognition software by the police and other authorities. The technology is inaccurate, risks persecution and lacks data-sharing standards, according to Oakland City Council’s ordinance. Amazon's facial recognition technology, Rekognition, previously incorrectly identified 28 members of Congress as criminals. Despite this, the police service in Oregon is believed to be employing the technology. In a statement on its website, Amazon said it was “committed to protecting our customers’ privacy while providing them with an unparalleled level of customer service.”
Oakland has joined San Francisco and Somerville, Massachusetts in banning the use of facial recognition software by the police and other authorities. The technology is inaccurate, risks persecution and lacks data-sharing standards, according to Oakland City Council’s ordinance. Amazon's facial recognition technology, Rekognition, previously incorrectly identified 28 members of Congress as criminals. Despite this, the police service in Oregon is believed to be employing the technology. Meanwhile, MPs have called for a suspension of facial recognition technology in the UK until safeguards are introduced.