The UK’s data protection watchdog has urged police forces in England and Wales to improve how they govern the use of facial recognition technology. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) audited five forces and found inconsistencies in their data protection compliance. Emily Keaney, a deputy commissioner at the ICO, warned that more forces are deploying the tools in public without prior experience, including stops where officers check suspects on the street against watchlists. The regulator acknowledged the technology can help police detect and prevent crime. However, it warned that false matches carry significant risks of wrongful intervention, accusation or arrest.

Background: Facial Recognition in Policing

← Back to the news feed