5 Major Problems With Facial Recognition Technology

What is facial recognition technology?

Facial recognition technology, sometimes called facial tracking software, is a biometric tool used to identify or confirm a person's identity through facial biometric patterns and data. It refers to any software that has the ability to capture a person's facial features and then match that to a face and an identity in an existing database. Depending on the particular type of facial recognition system, FRT can identify people in real-time, through images, or video footage.

How does facial tracking software work?

Facial tracking software is designed to detect human facial features either from a captured image (photograph or video) or in real-time. Once the human face has been detected, the facial tracking software then uses a number of algorithms to read the geometry of the face, mapping the distinctive features and details.

This process of face analysis takes note of 80 different nodal points on the head and face. These details include things like the distance between the eyes and between the forehead and the chin, the width of the nose, and the shape of the cheekbones.

The facial tracking software then translates all of these facial landmarks into a numerical code creating a digitized version of the face. This mathematical representation is called a “face template“ or “faceprint”, and it is just as unique as a fingerprint.

This faceprint can then be compared against other faceprints in pre-existing databases. These databases could belong to a private company or law enforcement. For example, the FBI reportedly has more than 640 million faces in its database. But this is nothing compared to the 10 billion facial photos facial recognition company Clearview AI has. The world's largest “face book” has even been boasting to investors that it is on track to have 100 billion photos by 2023. They actually count the FBI as one of their customers.

Uses and benefits of facial recognition technology

There are a number of benefits of facial recognition technology and it has quickly become the biometric verification system of choice for many organizations. It's easy to use and implement, and there's no physical interaction with the actual person. A selling point for the users, but not necessarily for the owners of the face! We'll get into this a little later when we start to look at the risks of facial recognition.

For now, let's focus on some of the most common uses and benefits of facial recognition technology.

Unlocking phones

One use of FRT that most people will be familiar with is the unlocking of phones. Many smartphones, most notably iPhones, come with facial recognition software which acts as an added layer of security to the device. The technology ensures that no one else can unlock the phone. Not only does it provide privacy protection, but it also acts as a device theft deterrent. If someone was to steal your phone, they won't be able to use it as their face won't match.

Law enforcement

Another common use for facial tracking is for law enforcement. It's faster and much cheaper than trying to get a DNA match. When a person is arrested their photo will be run through local, state, and federal/national facial recognition databases. And that photo will also be added to that database to be scanned in future criminal searches.

While a facial match can't be treated as evidence for presentation in court, the technology has helped in many criminal cases.

Recently, a vehicle-mounted camera “parked” in central London was instrumental in the arrests of four wanted criminals. In this case, the cameras scanned every face in the crowd, checking them against the law enforcement's face recognition database in real-time. The technology gave police the opportunity to apprehend known suspects on the spot.

Airports and border control

Facial recognition technology is pretty much part of the furniture now in airports thanks to biometric passports. This allows travelers to skip the long queues at passport control, by instead walking through an automatic ePassport reader. It doesn't just reduce waiting times but it also improves airport security since faces can be instantly scanned against “watchlists”. It can also alert border control staff to anyone trying to enter the country illegally with a fake passport.

Finding missing persons

Facial recognition is often touted as one of the most important tools in finding missing persons and victims of human trafficking. In India, police managed to identify and reunite more than a thousand missing and trafficked children with their families just days after implementing FRT.

Retail

FRT has two uses in the retail sector, firstly in loss prevention and staff safety, and secondly to enhance in-store customer service. With the help of facial recognition security personnel can be notified when a known shoplifter or a person with known criminal behavior enters the store. For the customer service side of things, FRT can be used for self-service checkouts with “face pay”, greeting customers, and automated ads.

Banking

Facial recognition is slowly being introduced into the banking sector as a means to make processes for customers more streamlined and more secure. The facial biometric technology removes the need for pin numbers and one-time passwords which removes the opportunity for hackers to compromise their accounts.

The problems with facial recognition technology

While we can't deny the benefits of facial recognition, sometimes the added convenience comes at a cost. Facial recognition technology is not bulletproof. FRT can still be misused by hackers and poses serious risks to online identities.

As well as the risk of identity theft, facial tracking raises concerns for human rights in terms of ethical use, democracy, and a person's right to privacy. Let's take a look at the most pressing problems facial recognition brings to society.

Facial tracking violates right to privacy and lacks consent

Facial recognition technology is invasive and intrusive. In many cases, the data is collected without the knowledge or consent of the individuals. You could be walking down the street minding your own business, but someone else might be minding your business too.

Even if the public is informed there is facial recognition technology in use, this shouldn't be taken as consent. Yet, in 2019, a gentleman was arrested and fined for covering his face from facial recognition cameras. The police claimed that by doing so he gave them cause for suspicion. It's hardly consent when there is no other option.

Recording people without their consent is not only a clear infringement of privacy but it also impacts freedom of expression and threatens democratic society. When a person is constantly being watched, they are likely to change the way they act. People may be less inclined to criticize the government for fear of retaliation on themselves or their families. The resulting stress, lack of trust, and fear are hugely detrimental to our mental well-being and society as a whole.

Inaccuracy

Facial recognition technology isn't as accurate as we're led to believe. There have been instances where facial tracking has returned false positives, matching two different faces. This can result in serious consequences, such as innocent people being arrested for crimes they haven't committed.

A study by Big Brother Watch found that London's Metropolitan Police had a shocking record of 98% wrongly identifying innocent members of the public, while the South Wales Police system wasn't much better with a false-positive rate of 91%.

Another study called “Gender Shades” by the MIT Media Lab discovered facial recognition bias— in which the software was significantly more likely to misidentify people of color, especially Black women. The results have caused a great deal of concern that FRT could be used as a means to exploit minorities.

Unethical use of facial tracking software

One of the biggest risks of facial recognition technology is that it is largely unregulated. This advanced biometric tool has been released out into the world for everyone and anyone to use. And their motivations are not always going to be to maximize or add to the benefits of facial recognition. FRT companies can't always control how it is used. Even if their intentions are “pure” or at least innocent.

For example, PimEyes is a facial recognition technology company that labels itself as a face search engine. Users can upload a photo of anyone, click search, and find all the other photos of that person online and where they are published. The company recently came under fire from the privacy campaign group, Big Brother Watch claiming PimEyes poses serious safety concerns as it lends itself to be a powerful stalking tool. PimEyes' official response was,

“PimEyes is not legally responsible for any violation of the terms and conditions of the website by the user and for any unlawful use of the search results, including stalking.”

Because PimEyes only returns results from public websites such as social media platforms, it pays to be careful what you share online.

But there are other, more sinister uses of facial tracking software, such as the incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities by the Chinese government. The same Hikvision cameras had been installed across 60% of the UK's public bodies raising concerns for national security.

Faces aren't “unhackable”

Supporters of FRT like to make people believe that it gives absolute security, but hackers will always find a way. It may be difficult, but it's not impossible to 'spoof' a system by using pictures or 3D masks of a victim. There is also the possibility of a hacker creating a deepfake from your facial photos.

Your faceprint is unique and just like your fingerprint, it can't be changed. At least, not without a very skilled surgeon! If your password is stolen, you can create a new one. If your credit card is stolen, you can cancel it, and get a new one. If someone steals your facial biometric data, then you're in a very difficult position.

Identity theft and other crimes

Facial tracking software comes with large-scale data storage and with data breaches a common occurrence, it's a nightmare waiting to happen. These facial databases may also include personal identifying information such as your name, address, and phone number. Such databases have always been a target for hackers, and should these systems become compromised, the bad actors have everything they need to conduct identity theft, fraud, harassment, or use your facial biometrics to impersonate you online for any number of crimes.

If you want to know more about how to protect yourself from identity theft read our Hoody article: Don't Let Identity Theft Consequences Ruin Your Life