The Metropolitan Police plans to deploy live facial recognition cameras in London's West End and Soho by Christmas, with further expansion to six areas next year. The technology compares faces against a watchlist of wanted suspects. Critics argue it constitutes mass surveillance and infringes on privacy.
The expansion of live facial recognition technology by the Metropolitan Police raises significant concerns about mass surveillance, privacy rights, and potential algorithmic bias, while proponents argue it is a vital tool for crime fighting and freeing up police resources.
The Metropolitan Police is set to significantly expand its deployment of live facial recognition (LFR) technology, with plans to introduce fixed cameras in London's West End and Soho by Christmas. This move follows successful trials, including a six-month pilot in Croydon where 173 arrests were made and only one person was wrongly identified out of 470,000 scans. The technology scans faces and compares them against a watchlist of wanted suspects.
Future expansion is planned for six additional areas in 2027, with the Met hoping for local council contributions to the cost. The force insists that human officers retain final decision-making authority on any arrests following an LFR alert. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described LFR as a "revolutionary technology advance," citing public confidence and its effectiveness in crime reduction.
However, the expansion faces strong criticism from privacy advocates. Silkie Carlo of Big Brother Watch described the move as an "alarming escalation" and an "affront to the idea that you should not have to identify yourself to the police if you have done nothing wrong." Critics argue that LFR subjects innocent people to a "digital police lineup" and that the algorithms can exhibit bias, particularly against Black individuals, though the Met claims to have mitigated this by reducing algorithm sensitivity.
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