Police and federal agencies have found a controversial new way to skirt the growing patchwork of laws that curb how they use facial recognition: an AI model that can track people based on attributes like body size, gender, hair color and style, clothing, and accessories.
The tool, called Track and built by the video analytics company Veritone, is used by 400 customers, including state and local police departments and universities all over the US. It is also expanding federally.
The product has drawn criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union, which—after learning of the tool through MIT Technology Review—said it was the first instance they’d seen of a nonbiometric tracking system used at scale in the US. Read the full story.
—James O’Donnell
If you’re interested in reading more about facial recognition and police tech, check out:
+ How the largest gathering of US police chiefs is talking about AI. Officers training in virtual reality, cities surveilled by webs of sensors, and AI-generated police reports are all a sign of what’s to come. Read the full story.
+ Clear, the company that has helped millions of people cut security lines, wants to give you a frictionless future—in exchange for your face. Read the full story.
+ The US wants to use facial recognition to identify migrant children as they age.
+ Why the movement to limit face recognition tech might finally get a win. Read the full story.
+ Uber’s facial recognition is locking Indian drivers out of their accounts— and some people are finding their accounts permanently blocked. Read the full story.