DATA150

11/9 Essay: Read this November 2nd article on a change in use of facial recognition technology by Meta (formerly Facebook) (hat tip to Arthur). What are your general thoughts on government and private company utilization of technologies that are able to recognize a face and/or match a human face from a digital image or a video frame against a database of faces? What advantages or benefits could/do such technologies provide? What role (if any) should a government play in regulating their use by individuals or companies? You have until 10:05.

Government and private company utilization of face-recognition technology has proven to be a challenge. As stated by the article, Facebook to delete users’ facial-recognition data after privacy complaints, researchers and privacy activists have questioned the technology regarding its ethics and accuracy, citing studies that found the facial-recognition technology worked unevenly across boundaries of age, race, and gender. Specifically, when in the hands of the police, this inaccuracy can be dangerous, resulting in an increase of false allegations and racial injustice. Although the drawbacks, this kind of technology does have major advantages. Using facial recognition technology could improve security, preventing crimes and increasing security and safety. From finding missing people and identifying perpetrators, to protecting businesses against theft and strengthening security measures in banks and airports. In some cases, facial recognition technology can even improve medical treatments, specifically in the detection of genetic disorders. By examining subtle facial traits, facial recognition technology can determine the causes of genetic mutations. However, is it really worth risking user privacy because of efficiency and security?