Essex police pause facial recognition camera use after study finds racial bias

4 hours ago

Essex police paused live facial recognition (LFR) technology due to bias concerns.
A study found LFR cameras were more likely to target black people than other ethnicities.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) revealed the suspension and warned other police forces.
LFR systems are deployed in fixed locations or vans, with plans to increase their numbers.
A University of Cambridge study showed LFR correctly identified half of watchlist individuals but with racial bias.
The system was statistically more likely to correctly identify black participants than others.
Experts suggest bias may stem from overtraining algorithms on black faces.
The Home Office reported LFR led to over 1,300 arrests for serious crimes in London.
Critics argue biased and untested AI surveillance should not be used on streets.

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