UK Shops to Use Facial Recognition
UK shops will use facial recognition to alert police in real-time to serious offenders, sparking concerns over surveillance and civil liberties
Key points
- Facewatch, a facial recognition system used by over 100 UK businesses, will launch a feature to alert police instantly when serious offenders are detected
- The system will warn police in an average of four seconds when a match is found, according to Facewatch's CEO Nick Fisher
- Civil liberties groups, including Liberty, have expressed alarm over the development, citing concerns over surveillance and potential mistakes
- The feature is set to launch in autumn and will be used by retailers such as Sainsbury's, B&M, and Spar
- The system's use has sparked debate over the balance between crime prevention and individual privacy rights
- The EU has not commented on the development, but similar technologies have raised concerns over regulation and governance
Introduction to Facial Recognition in UK Shops
Facial recognition technology is set to be used in UK shops to alert police in real-time to the presence of serious offenders. The system, developed by Facewatch, will be used by over 100 businesses, including major retailers such as Sainsbury's, B&M, and Spar.
Concerns Over Surveillance and Civil Liberties
The development has sparked concerns over surveillance and civil liberties, with groups such as Liberty expressing alarm over the potential for mistakes and the impact on individual privacy rights.
The Technology Behind the System
The system uses facial recognition technology to scan faces at the door and alert staff when someone on the watchlist walks in. The new feature will change what happens next, with the system able to call the police itself instead of alerting a shop worker.
Sources
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