Chinese police use face recognition to monitor Uyghur minority
Chinese police departments in multiple provinces have deployed facial recognition systems from AI companies such as Yitu, Megvii, SenseTime, and CloudWalk to identify and track Uyghur people, a Muslim minority. The systems scan crowds and trigger alerts when a Uyghur individual is detected, enabling targeted surveillance across cities including Hangzhou, Wenzhou, and Sanmenxia. Documents and interviews show that one system in Sanmenxia conducted over 500,000 screenings in a month, flagging thousands as Uyghur. Police use this technology to monitor and control the Uyghur population, who have been subjected to mass detention and other repressive measures. The article reports these practices from interviews with anonymous sources and procurement documents.
- Company involved
- Chinese police departments (various provinces)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Swedish police fined for unlawful use of Clearview AI facial recognition
Sweden's data protection authority IMY fined the Swedish Police Authority €250,000 for unlawfully using Clearview AI's facial-recognition app. The police used the app between autumn 2019 and March 2020 without authorisation or a required data protection impact assessment. The IMY ordered the police to ensure Clearview AI deletes the data and to train employees to avoid future breaches.
- Company involved
- Swedish Police Authority
- AI system involved
- Clearview AI
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Guangxi homeowners lose homes in facial recognition fraud
Over 10 homeowners in Guangxi, China, were defrauded by a real estate agent who used the government's '邕e登' app to transfer their property without consent. The agent tricked them into using facial recognition for what they thought was file checking, but instead the system processed property transfers. The agent has been arrested and the case is under investigation. The local government has restricted the properties and plans to upgrade the app's security.
- Company involved
- 南宁市自然资源局
- AI system involved
- 邕e登
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Alonzo Sawyer falsely arrested after face recognition misidentification by Maryland Transit Police
Alonzo Sawyer was arrested in spring 2022 after an intelligence analyst using face recognition software identified him as a possible match for a bus assault suspect. He spent nine days in jail before the actual suspect was identified by the victim. His wife Carronne Sawyer advocated for his release and later testified in support of proposed Maryland legislation to regulate police use of face recognition. The incident is one of several known false arrests of Black men due to face recognition errors.
- Company involved
- Maryland Transit Administration Police
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Clearview AI tested facial recognition surveillance cameras with UFT and Rudin
Clearview AI, the facial recognition company that scraped billions of photos from social media, developed a surveillance camera system under the name Insight Camera. The system was tested by the United Federation of Teachers and Rudin Management in New York City. The UFT used it to identify individuals who had made threats and prevent them from entering its offices. Clearview did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Clearview AI
- AI system involved
- Insight Camera
9 source articles · read the reporting →
California bar exam facial recognition system fails to verify Arab-American student's identity
Ahmed Alamri, an Arab-American law student, was unable to register for the practice California bar exam because ExamSoft's facial recognition system repeatedly failed to recognize his face, citing poor lighting. Alamri attempted to verify his identity over 75 times in different rooms and lighting conditions without success. He and other students filed an emergency petition with the California Supreme Court, alleging that the system discriminates against people of color. The incident highlights concerns about bias in facial recognition technology used for exam proctoring.
- Company involved
- California State Bar
- AI system involved
- ExamSoft
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Italian police facial recognition system SARI uses 16 million mugshots, raising legality questions
The Italian State Police have been using a facial recognition system called SARI since July 2018, based on a database of 16 million mugshots. The system has helped in arrests but has raised civil rights concerns because nine million of the mugshots belong to people stopped only once. A parliamentary question has been filed seeking more details, but has not yet been answered. The Italian Data Protection Authority has found the system compliant with the law.
- Company involved
- Italian State Police
- AI system involved
- SARI
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Jacobs files BIPA class action against Walgreen Company over fingerprint scanning
A class action lawsuit alleges that Walgreen Company (Walgreens) collected and stored employees' fingerprint data without obtaining informed consent, in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The plaintiff, Jacobs, claims the company used fingerprint scanners for employee timekeeping without providing required disclosures or obtaining written consent. The case is pending in Illinois state court.
- Company involved
- Walgreen Company
- AI system involved
- Fingerprint time clock
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Clearview AI to pull out of Canada and stop working with RCMP amid privacy investigation
Clearview AI, the US facial recognition company, has agreed to stop offering its services in Canada amid a joint investigation by Canadian privacy regulators. The company's technology, which matches images against billions of photos scraped from the internet, was used by the RCMP and more than 20 other police services across Canada. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada announced the 'indefinite suspension' of Clearview's contract with the RCMP, its last remaining Canadian client. The investigation into whether the technology breaches Canadian privacy laws will continue.
- Company involved
- Clearview AI
- AI system involved
- Clearview AI
10 source articles · read the reporting →
CBSA tested facial recognition on millions at Toronto Pearson Airport in 2016
In 2016, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) secretly tested facial recognition technology on millions of travellers at Toronto Pearson Airport without their knowledge. The system, supplied by Face4 Systems, matched faces against a database of previously deported individuals. The CBSA stated that no one was deported as a result of the pilot, and the technology was removed after six months. Privacy advocates raised concerns about lack of consent, transparency, and potential racial bias.
- Company involved
- Canada Border Services Agency
- AI system involved
- Faces on the Move
8 source articles · read the reporting →
EPIC lawsuit challenges USPS secret surveillance program using facial recognition
The United States Postal Service's law enforcement wing, the Postal Inspection Service, ran a secret surveillance program called the Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) that used facial recognition from Clearview AI and social media monitoring tools to infiltrate online communities and monitor protests. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) sued the USPS for failing to conduct and publish a privacy impact assessment as required by the E-Government Act. A federal district court dismissed the lawsuit on standing grounds, ruling that EPIC did not suffer a cognizable injury from the agency's refusal to disclose information about the program.
- Company involved
- United States Postal Service
- AI system involved
- Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Australian police trial facial recognition for COVID quarantine compliance
Australian police in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia are trialling facial recognition software from Genvis to monitor people in home quarantine. Individuals are required to take selfies when randomly checked, and the software verifies their location and identity. Privacy advocates and the UN have raised concerns about surveillance overreach and potential human rights violations. The trials are voluntary, but critics warn of inaccuracies and mission creep.
- Company involved
- New South Wales Police Force, Victoria Police, Western Australia Police
- AI system involved
- Genvis facial recognition software
10 source articles · read the reporting →
JR East scraps facial recognition plan for past offenders
JR East, a Japanese train operator, installed facial recognition cameras at stations to identify past offenders, named criminal suspects, and suspicious persons. After criticism over a lack of societal consent, the company announced on 21 September 2021 that it had unregistered past offenders from the system. The company stated it would reinstate the system once clearer guidelines are established. No actual harm was reported.
- Company involved
- JR East
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Met Police buys £3m retrospective facial recognition system
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has awarded a £3 million, four-year contract to Northgate Public Services for a new retrospective facial-recognition (RFR) system to be deployed within three months. RFR processes biometric information from historic CCTV, social media, and other images to identify suspects and missing persons, operating retroactively unlike live facial recognition. The procurement was approved by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime in August 2021. The MPS states that human-in-the-loop decision-making will be used, but digital rights groups and a former biometrics commissioner have raised concerns about potential discrimination, overrepresentation of marginalised groups in watch lists, and lack of a legislative framework.
- Company involved
- Metropolitan Police Service
- AI system involved
- Retrospective facial-recognition software
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Face recognition bypass used to register shell companies for tax fraud in Shanghai
In a major tax fraud case in Shanghai, criminals used face recognition cracking techniques to register shell companies on government platforms. They purchased high-resolution photos and used apps to create fake videos, then used modified phones to bypass face recognition authentication. The scheme resulted in fraudulent invoices totaling over 500 million yuan. The case was prosecuted by the Shanghai procuratorate.
7 source articles · read the reporting →
St. Louis police arrest man after facial recognition match without corroboration
Christopher Gatlin was arrested and jailed for an assault on a security guard after police used facial recognition software to identify him from a blurry surveillance image. The lead detective built a case against Gatlin despite the city's policy that AI results are nonscientific and should not be the sole basis for a decision. A witness was steered by officers to select Gatlin from a photo lineup, and the case was later dismissed after more than two years. Gatlin alleges wrongful arrest and has filed a lawsuit.
- Company involved
- St. Louis County Police Department
- AI system involved
- Unnamed facial recognition program
4 source articles · read the reporting →
US CBP deploys CBP One app using facial recognition for asylum seekers amid privacy concerns
The article reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection quietly deployed the CBP One mobile app at the Mexico border. The app uses facial recognition and geolocation to collect and verify information on asylum seekers before they enter the United States. Privacy experts warn that the app poses risks of persistent surveillance and that the facial recognition algorithm is unreliable for people of colour. A previous CBP facial recognition pilot was hacked, exposing images. CBP says the app is voluntary and data is secure.
- Company involved
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- AI system involved
- CBP One
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Met Police accessed PimEyes facial recognition site 2,000 times
The Metropolitan Police accessed the controversial facial recognition search engine PimEyes over 2,000 times from its computers in the first three months of 2024. The force stated that the hits did not necessarily mean searches were conducted, but after being alerted by i and Liberty Investigates, it blocked access to the site and strengthened safeguards. Privacy campaigners and MPs have raised concerns that the unregulated tool could be used for stalking and surveillance.
- Company involved
- Metropolitan Police Service
- AI system involved
- PimEyes
3 source articles · read the reporting →
OnlyFake site uses neural networks to generate fake IDs, bypasses OKX verification
An underground website called OnlyFake uses neural networks to generate realistic photos of fake IDs for $15. The journalist tested the service and obtained a convincing California driver's license. They then used another fake ID to successfully bypass the identity verification process on OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange. The article alleges that this technology could streamline bank fraud and money laundering, but reports no actual financial loss.
- Company involved
- OKX
- AI system involved
- OnlyFake
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Serco Leisure issued enforcement notices for unlawful biometric monitoring of employees
Serco Leisure and associated trusts used facial recognition and fingerprint scanning to monitor employee attendance at 38 leisure facilities. The ICO found they unlawfully processed biometric data of over 2,000 employees. Enforcement notices were issued ordering them to stop.
- Company involved
- Serco Leisure Operating Limited
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Italian DPA says Interior Ministry's Sari Real Time facial recognition lacks legal basis
The Garante per la protezione dei dati personali issued an opinion on Sari Real Time, a facial recognition system developed for the Italian Ministry of Interior. The system, yet to become operational, would compare live video footage of people in public areas with a watch-list and alert police operators. The authority found the planned biometric processing lacked a specific legal basis under Italian law and Directive (EU) 2016/680, and warned it could turn targeted surveillance into mass surveillance.
- Company involved
- Ministero dell'Interno – Dipartimento della pubblica sicurezza
- AI system involved
- Sari Real Time
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Facial recognition system falsely detains woman in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
A facial recognition system deployed by the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro in Copacabana falsely identified a local resident as a wanted fugitive. The system flagged the woman with a 70% probability match, leading police to detain her for over an hour before realising the error. The police spokesperson acknowledged the system's statistical error rate and stated that officers attempt to verify identities on site. The incident is one of several false positives reported with the system.
- Company involved
- Polícia Militar do Rio de Janeiro
10 source articles · read the reporting →
French police secretly used Briefcam facial recognition since 2015
The French National Police has been using Briefcam's Video Synopsis software since 2015, according to internal documents obtained by Disclose. The software, which includes facial recognition capabilities, was deployed without the required data protection impact assessment or notification to the CNIL. The Ministry of the Interior concealed the use of this tool for eight years. The police hierarchy allegedly used the software for facial recognition without judicial requisition, and the DGPN did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- French National Police
- AI system involved
- Briefcam Video Synopsis
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Delhi Police use facial recognition to screen PM Modi rally attendees
Delhi Police used an Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS) to screen crowds at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on December 22, 2019. The system, originally installed to find missing children, was used to identify possible disruptions. Privacy advocates called the move illegal and unconstitutional, saying it amounts to mass surveillance. Police defended the use, citing credible intelligence about possible disruptions.
- Company involved
- Delhi Police
- AI system involved
- Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS)
6 source articles · read the reporting →
