London Facial Recognition Scans Half a Million Faces, Yields One False Match
Ansiktsigenkänning i London skannade en halv miljon ansikten – gav en träff och den var fel - Computer Sweden
A six-month trial of facial recognition at London railway stations scanned over half a million faces but resulted in no arrests linked to the technology. The only match was a false identification. British Transport Police has extended the trial and started using the technology on the London Underground.
- Company involved
- British Transport Police
1 source article · read the reporting →
Muscovite Detained Three Times in Two Days Due to Facial Recognition System Error
Москвича трижды задержали из-за сбоя системы распознавания лиц - Вот Так
A Moscow resident, Sergey, was detained by law enforcement three times over two days in August after the Sfera facial recognition system mistakenly flagged him. He was briefly held and released each time, once in handcuffs for several hours. He fears such systems could be used to swiftly round up conscripts if a new mobilization wave occurs.
- Company involved
- Moscow City Government
- AI system involved
- Сфера
1 source article · read the reporting →
ICE’s Mobile Fortify Facial Recognition App Misidentified a Woman Twice
During an immigration raid in Oregon, ICE agents used the Mobile Fortify facial recognition app on a detained woman to determine her identity and immigration status. The app returned two different incorrect names, according to testimony from a CBP official. ICE has claimed the app provides a definitive determination of immigration status, but this incident raises concerns about its accuracy. The misidentification could have led to wrongful removal proceedings.
- Company involved
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- AI system involved
- Mobile Fortify
1 source article · read the reporting →
New Zealand passport scanner rejects Asian man's photo over 'closed eyes'
Richard Lee, an Asian man in New Zealand, had his passport photo rejected by an online facial recognition system run by the Department of Internal Affairs. The software mistakenly determined his eyes were closed due to shadows and uneven lighting. Lee contacted the department, which explained the issue, and he successfully resubmitted a new photo. The incident sparked online discussion about racial bias in facial recognition technology.
- Company involved
- New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs
10 source articles · read the reporting →
New Jersey Police Sued Over Wrongful Imprisonment After Facial Recognition Misidentification
A New Jersey man alleges he was wrongfully imprisoned for ten days after facial recognition software used by a police department mistakenly identified him as a suspect in a criminal investigation. The plaintiff, a Black man, claims the police relied solely on the technology to issue an arrest warrant despite his fingerprints and DNA not matching evidence from the crime scene and his provision of an alibi. He has filed a lawsuit against the police, prosecutor, and municipality for false arrest, false imprisonment, and civil rights violations. The case highlights concerns about racial bias in facial recognition technology.
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Privacy advocate detained at gunpoint after license plate reader error
Brian Hofer, a privacy advocate, and his brother were detained at gunpoint by Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies after a Vigilant Solutions automated license plate reader mistakenly flagged their rental car as stolen. The error occurred because the car had been recovered but not removed from the hot list database. Hofer filed a federal lawsuit alleging civil rights violations, while the sheriff's office stated deputies followed procedure. The incident highlights concerns about the accuracy and oversight of license plate reader systems.
- Company involved
- Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office
- AI system involved
- Vigilant Solutions license plate reader
2 source articles · read the reporting →
RCMP used IntelCenter facial recognition without disclosure
The RCMP in British Columbia secretly subscribed to IntelCenter's facial recognition service, which matched faces against a database of 700,000 faces tied to terrorism. Internal emails revealed the force broke its own procurement rules and hid the purchase. The RCMP claimed it was only for testing, but documents showed active use. The contracts ended in 2019.
- Company involved
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
- AI system involved
- IntelCenter Check
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Edmonton Police Use DNA Phenotyping to Generate Suspect Image, Sparking Racial Profiling Concerns
The Edmonton Police Service used Parabon NanoLabs' Snapshot DNA phenotyping tool to generate a facial composite of a suspect from DNA evidence. The generated image depicted a Black individual, despite the technology's inability to accurately predict age, weight, or skin colour. After releasing the image publicly, the police faced widespread criticism from geneticists and the public, who warned it could lead to racial profiling of the Black community. The police subsequently removed the image and acknowledged they had not adequately considered the risks to marginalized communities.
- Company involved
- Edmonton Police Service
- AI system involved
- Snapshot
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Lockport City School District's Facial Recognition System Misidentified Black Faces and Weapons
Lockport City School District deployed SN Technologies' AEGIS face and weapons detection system in January 2020. Parents and the New York Civil Liberties Union allege the system misidentifies Black people more often than white people and falsely detects weapons such as broom handles. A lawsuit was filed against the New York State Education Department seeking to ban facial recognition in schools. SN Technologies denied misleading the district.
- Company involved
- Lockport City School District
- AI system involved
- AEGIS
1 source article · read the reporting →
Xinjiang Police App Enables Mass Surveillance and Arbitrary Detention of Uyghurs
Human Rights Watch reverse-engineered a police app used in Xinjiang, China, revealing that the Integrated Joint Operations Platform (IJOP) collects vast personal data and flags individuals as suspicious based on broad criteria. The system targets ethnic Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims, leading to mass arbitrary detention, forced indoctrination, and movement restrictions. The Chinese government operates the system, supplied by a subsidiary of CETC, and has not informed or obtained consent from those surveilled. The report calls for shutting down the system and releasing detainees.
- Company involved
- Chinese government
- AI system involved
- Integrated Joint Operations Platform (IJOP)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Hikvision sells Uyghur recognition system to Chinese authorities
Hikvision, a Chinese surveillance company, sold a facial recognition system powered by NVIDIA to authorities in the People's Republic of China. The system is designed to identify Uyghur individuals, enabling ethnic profiling and surveillance. The article reports that the system was marketed as a tool for public security and was deployed without transparency or accountability. No specific incident of harm is described, but the potential for widespread discrimination and human rights abuses is highlighted.
- Company involved
- Hikvision
- AI system involved
- Uyghur recognition system
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Global Entry revoked after ICE agent used facial recognition on observer
Nicole Cleland, a Minnesota resident and volunteer ICE observer, had her Global Entry and TSA PreCheck privileges revoked three days after an ICE agent used facial recognition to identify her while she was following agents. She alleges the revocation is retaliation and intimidation. She filed a declaration in a lawsuit against DHS and ICE. The incident highlights the use of facial recognition by federal agents to identify protesters.
- Company involved
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1 source article · read the reporting →
Activist challenges Met Police over false facial recognition arrest
In early 2024, Black British activist Shaun Thompson was detained by Metropolitan Police at London Bridge station after live facial recognition technology wrongly identified him as a suspect. He was held for nearly 30 minutes before being released after showing his passport. Thompson has launched a legal challenge seeking a judicial review of the technology's use, alleging it is intrusive and treats people as guilty until proven innocent. The Metropolitan Police declined to comment.
- Company involved
- Metropolitan Police
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Facial recognition pilot at Berlin-Südkreuz by German police
A year-long pilot project of facial recognition technology was carried out at Berlin-Südkreuz train station from August 2017 to July 2018. The project was initiated by the German Ministry of the Interior, federal and state police, and supported by Deutsche Bahn. The pilot became a catalyst for media attention, spurring discourse on the efficiency and legitimacy of surveillance technology.
- Company involved
- German Federal Police
10 source articles · read the reporting →
CBP One app's facial recognition fails on Black skin tones, migrants report
Migrants and advocates report that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's CBP One app, used to schedule asylum appointments, frequently crashes and fails to recognize photographs of Black individuals, particularly affecting Haitians. The app also splits families and assigns appointments at distant border crossings, causing long waits in dangerous conditions. CBP did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- AI system involved
- CBP One
4 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
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 →
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 →
