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Facial Recognition: Police Use
13 November 2024
Lead MP
John Whittingdale
Maldon
Con
Responding Minister
Diana R. Johnson
Tags
Crime & Law Enforcement
Word Count: 12681
Other Contributors: 11
At a Glance
John Whittingdale raised concerns about facial recognition: police use in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Whittingdale calls for clarity in law regarding the use of live facial recognition technology, suggesting it is essential to provide guidelines for police forces to ensure they are using the technology proportionately and legally. He also highlights the need for national standards to monitor the efficacy and lawfulness of LFR.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The use of live facial recognition technology by police forces is increasing, but there are concerns about its regulation and potential misuse. John Whittingdale highlighted a lack of national guidelines and the risk of false positives, which can lead to breaches of data protection and privacy rights. He cited an example where Shaun Thompson was detained for 30 minutes due to a false positive and emphasised that racial bias may be involved. Campaign organisations such as Big Brother Watch have raised concerns about indiscriminate surveillance and undermining the presumption of innocence.
Ayoub Khan
Ind
Birmingham Perry Barr
As a criminal barrister, Ayoub Khan highlighted difficulties with experts in identifying suspects through facial recognition technology. He expressed concern about the potential impact of deploying such technology on high streets and its disproportionate effect on minority communities, citing instances where black males are disproportionately stopped and searched.
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Concerned about the room for error in live facial recognition technology, Bell Ribeiro-Addy highlighted potential mix-ups leading to traumatic encounters with the police. She cited instances of image mislabelling and racial bias in technology, arguing that it undermines public trust among ethnic minorities. Drawing from a personal anecdote, she warned against the use of flawed algorithms and the impact on already high rates of stops and searches for people of colour. Bell Ribeiro-Addy responded to McMurdock's intervention, emphasizing that concerns about racial discrimination are based on data and evidence rather than mere assumptions.
Bobby Dean
Lib Dem
Carshalton and Wallington
Mr. Dean expressed concerns about the potential for discrimination, particularly towards black communities, due to live facial recognition technology. He also highlighted the importance of privacy in society and the risks associated with expanding the use of such technology without strict controls.
Chris Philp
Con
Croydon South
The system has been tested by the national physical laboratory about two years ago, with no racial bias found at the settings used by the police. The hon. Member provides this context to offer some reassurance on the question of racial bias. The technology does not change the principle that someone is innocent until proven guilty, but it allows for identity checks based on suspicion without undermining legal standards. Explained the process of live facial recognition, emphasizing that it targets individuals wanted for criminal offences and does not overturn the presumption of innocence. Discussed racial disparity and misidentification rates, highlighting improvements in algorithm accuracy and reduced likelihood of inappropriate stops compared to regular stop and searches. Reported successful arrests made using this technology in Croydon and stressed the importance of public guidelines and regulations to ensure lawful use.
David Davis
Con
Goole and Pocklington
The right hon. Member supports the view that judicial oversight is necessary, and innocent people's records should be destroyed straightaway under legislative control rather than guidelines. Suggests that live facial recognition could lead to unauthorized uses due to technological slippage, referencing historical issues with automatic number plate recognition.
Dawn Butler
Lab
Brent East
The hon. Member questions the reliability of facial recognition technology, noting that there is no such thing as zero misidentification and concerns about lack of judicial oversight. Expresses concern about the impact of live facial recognition on civil liberties and racial bias in identification accuracy. Highlights the importance of regulation to protect against misuse and ensure fair use of technology. The hon. Lady made an incredibly powerful speech and asked whether she was aware of the Big Brother Watch campaign to stop large shops from capturing people's faces, which can lead to misidentification in other places. Black men are eight times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than their white counterparts, and 35 times more likely under section 60. This technology accelerates discrimination that is already present in the system. Ms. Butler mentioned that a statistic suggests 0.5% of facial recognition scans still result in misidentification, indicating ongoing issues with accuracy and reliability.
Iqbal Mohamed
Ind
Dewsbury and Batley
The MP is concerned about the lack of specific legislation for facial recognition technology, which allows private companies to self-regulate. He highlights issues with privacy rights, freedom of assembly, non-discrimination, and data protection. The accuracy of FR systems can lead to misidentifications and wrongful arrests, particularly impacting black people and people of colour due to higher error rates. Mr. Mohamed intervened to discuss instances where companies have falsely claimed automatic deletion of data, citing Google's incognito browsing mode as an example.
James McMurdock
Ind
South Basildon and East Thurrock
He expressed concern about the lack of legislation and firm frameworks for facial recognition technology, emphasizing the importance of 'without fear or favour' principle. He highlighted potential issues such as unfair treatment and the need for transparency in implementing the technology. James McMurdock urged caution regarding assumptions about racial disparity in the use of facial recognition technology. He suggested that it would be remiss to make such claims without full certainty.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
I support the use of live facial recognition technology in policing but emphasised the need for safeguards to protect human rights. I highlighted that the PSNI is exploring the potential of this technology and intends to establish a working group with stakeholders to ensure proper implementation. Jim Shannon also mentioned concerns about false positives and the impact on individuals' reputations.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
Shocked by the potential misuse of live facial recognition technology in Leicester, Shockat Adam called for stringent legislation before proceeding. He cited concerns about accuracy, racial profiling, and civil liberties violations, noting that the technology disproportionately affects women, people of colour, and disabled individuals. Agrees that this technology could further alienate minority communities, as happened with the Muslim community and Prevent strategy, causing division and mistrust of the police.
Siân Berry
Green
Brighton Pavilion
I have worked on this issue for many years and observed the first deployments of live facial recognition by the Metropolitan police. The unlegislated use of facial recognition technology is incredibly worrying, as there is no real scrutiny or legislation in place to regulate its use. I tabled a written question asking about putting regulation and legislation behind the police use of live facial recognition.
Government Response
Diana R. Johnson
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I congratulate the right hon. Member for Maldon on securing this important debate and thank all Members for their thoughtful contributions. The minister acknowledges the powerful nature of facial recognition technology, which can be transformational for policing but raises concerns about misidentification, misuse, and impacts on human rights and privacy. She notes that live facial recognition allows police to spot people in crowds using live video footage and specific watchlists, resulting in arrests for serious crimes like rape and domestic abuse. The Metropolitan police made over 460 arrests and South Wales police arrested registered sex offenders and located a missing girl through this technology. Concerns about the lack of legal framework are addressed by data protection, equality, human rights law, and common law powers, though some argue for a statutory regulatory framework to ensure safe and successful scaling. The minister is committed to engaging with police, regulators, and civil society groups in coming months to inform future use of live facial recognition technology.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.