Senator on Technology Risks: Should We Fear Facial Recognition Software?
By David Tobia
July 20, 2012
July 20, 2012
While Congress’ attempts to block new technologies can seem unnecessary at times, GigaOM argues that people should take Senator Al Franken’s recent warnings about facial recognition software seriously.- “I think Congress should leave new Web technologies alone so they can grow organically and we, the people — who are actually perfectly able to adjust to them — can decide the limits with which we’re comfortable,” writes technology journalist Derrick Harris. “But facial recognition is a whole new beast.”
- Harris suggests that the most dangerous aspect of facial recognition technology is that, at the current rate, anyone will have access to a wealth of information to identify strangers.
- Technology will soon allow people to take a picture, analyze the picture using a database of Facebook and Flickr photos, and then discover an individual’s name. Once someone has the name, they can then discover the person’s personal information, and possibly even social security number.
- Harris recommends using fair tactics to regulate the technology. While outlawing the technology may go too far, restrictions should be put in place to avoid dangerous consequences.
- YouTube, for example, announced its face-blurring technology for videos this week, but it may not be enough.
- “Blocking out dissidents’ faces so they aren’t the targets of authoritarian governments is a noble goal, but it doesn’t address the issue of me being able to blur out my face in someone else’s video,” notes Harris. “I’m not sure how such a capability would work from a business perspective, but citizens need some level of control over how and where their images are used.”
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