With such a lack of transparency about the full scope, uses and effects of the use of facial recognition technology in the United States, the future is still unpredictable.
"The Future of Facial Recognition Is Not Fully Known: Developing Privacy and Security Regulatory Mechanisms for Facial Recognition in the Retail Sector" Elias Wright This article, published in Fordham University’s Media and Entertainment Law Journal, examines the effects of advancements in facial recognition technology and its ramifications on the world of surveillance. Elias Wright details a lack of proper legislation and regulation, and adopts a regulatory approach as a conclusion. With increased storing of sensitive information of individuals by corporate organizations, the storage of this data itself could potentially result in negative consequences for those individuals. This type of surveillance has seen heavy criticism by privacy experts and advocates, and highlight a lack of legal precedent on how to deal with this. Ultimately, Wright emphasizes the difficulties in governing facial recognition technology but emphasizes the risks involved in employing it. Without governmental intervention and proper regulation, the future of facial recognition could continue to be a harmful and discriminatory one.
AI Now 2019 ReportThis 2019 report by AI Now, an institute at New York University dedicated to research and comprehension of the social impact that AI technology can have, details the controversy surrounding harmful surveillance techniques and AI, emerging concerns and challenges imposed. According to this report, the facial/affect recognition industry is currently seeing significant growth. They cite reports indicating that the general surveillance market “was worth $12 billion in 2018 and … the industry is projected to grow over $90 billion by 2024.” However, AI Now highlights a lack of scientific evidence that this technology is even effective and that, with the significance of its utilization, that there is a need for further research and policy on the industry. AI Now concludes that AI systems like facial recognition technology continue to grow and are deployed despite the ethical frameworks that develop around them. Without “appropriate safeguards or accountability structures in place,” these concerns are not being addressed and a dependence on these types of technology can have stark consequences. However, AI Now encourages the idea that the implications of AI can still be determined by the general population of whom is being affected and that through coalition-building and solidarity, changes can be made and the industry held accountable to ensure a bright and safe future.
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