• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Government must confront the civil rights challenges of facial recognition 

February 12, 2025
in Politics
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
6
SHARES
13
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Artificial intelligence, while present in virtually every aspect of our daily lives, is far from perfect. That matters especially when its application impacts civil rights.

Take, for example, facial recognition technology, a type of AI that can scan massive datasets of facial images to determine whether two images belong to the same person. The U.S. government, realizing this enormous power, has adopted, deployed and facilitated the proliferation of facial recognition across law enforcement, homeland security and even public housing.

Facial recognition shows us that when complex and evolving technology such as AI is deployed in the real world, as opposed to in a laboratory, technological flaws that might otherwise be interesting data points in a simulation can undermine the basic freedoms of the American people.

At my request, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights conducted a monthslong investigation into the federal government’s use of facial recognition within the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Housing and Urban Development. Then we published a bipartisan report last fall acknowledging the technology’s utility in solving crimes, combating terror threats and locating missing children.

However, the report also highlights the grave risks that facial recognition poses to the civil rights of all Americans. The report is significant not just for its contributions to an under-studied field, but also for the rare consensus it garnered at an agency evenly divided among Democratic and Republican appointees. This shows that the civil rights concerns about AI are not partisan. 

Facial recognition technology is a system of interdependent components trained largely on images of white people, resulting in models that are worse at accurately recognizing non-white people in real-world settings. The facial recognition system can still interpret data from underrepresented groups, but with higher error rates.

The camera technology that facial recognition algorithms rely upon may capture drastically different images of the same person’s skin tone depending on the camera quality, camera positioning and the environment’s lighting. A facial recognition technology algorithm may then return a false positive match, meaning the system thinks two different people are the same, or a false negative hit, meaning the system thinks the same person is actually two different individuals.

In other words, facial recognition has flaws that are biased against and disproportionately harm people of color. This is also true for women and seniors.

It is critical to fully understand how these flaws in technology translate to real-world consequences. If law enforcement agencies rely on facial recognition that is not properly tested, and if they do not train agents in the proper use of facial recognition and disclose the use of facial recognition to defendants in criminal cases, a false positive match can ruin an innocent person’s life.

Michigan citizen Robert Williams experienced this firsthand when he was wrongfully arrested in front of his family for the robbery of a Shinola store in Detroit after two blurry surveillance photos became the basis for a mismatched facial recognition result.

His case involved omissions of facial recognition use in the arrest warrant and an unreliable photo lineup procedure. It led to an unprecedented settlement by the Detroit Police Department requiring training on the risks of facial recognition, especially when used on people of color, and a significant rollback of the department’s reliance on the technology. 

But imagine the direct and collateral consequences for Williams and his loved ones if this exculpatory evidence had never emerged and he had been convicted and sentenced — or, more realistically, coerced under the weight of the criminal legal system to plead guilty.

A recent investigation by the Washington Post revealed that police departments across America frequently disregard their own internal policies intended to prevent these inaccurate identifications.

This is particularly alarming given the testimony of Assistant Police Chief Armondo Aguilar, who told the commission last spring that the ubiquitous Clearview AI software used by the Miami Police Department is only accurate 40 percent of the time prior to the human-level fact-check required by departmental guidelines. Even then, human reviewers can fall victim to “automation bias,” the tendency to favor suggestions from automated systems and avoid contradictory information.

Facial recognition technology isn’t just problematic in law enforcement. If public housing authorities use facial recognition to surveil their tenants, whose incomes afford them no meaningful alternative to such housing, those tenants must choose between housing and privacy, along with the risk of unfair consequences like eviction and the denial of entry due to false positive and false negative results.

Issues like these were central to a 2023 Washington Post investigation into the use of surveillance systems by public housing authorities, many equipped with facial recognition capabilities.

Facial recognition technology testing, training and deployment guardrails, as they exist today, are neither holistic nor standardized enough to account for the complex, real-world scenarios in which governments at the federal and local levels are deploying facial recognition.

To summarize, when the federal government deploys and heavily relies upon facial recognition technology in real-world scenarios without proper testing and oversight, such as in the form of a “human-in-the-loop” to independently review search results, it can become the basis for false arrests, wrongful convictions and unfair housing practices, to say nothing of the privacy risks inherent in mass surveillance.

As AI proliferates due to its usefulness, we must be mindful of its ever-growing risks to civil rights and civil liberties. Several key recommendations to the federal government contained in the commission’s report offer a framework for how governments at the federal and local levels, and even private actors, can guard against such harms.

First, facial recognition testing and training should be mandatory, standardized and involve real-world scenarios.

Second, public transparency in the use of facial recognition by a department or agency should be prioritized, such as posting use policies on their websites and informing criminal defendants when facial recognition has been used against them.

Third, individuals harmed by the misuse or abuse of facial recognition technology should have a statutory mechanism for redress of any harm suffered.

This moment in history presents a crucial opportunity for the U.S. government to meet this moment of immense technological potential with due consideration and protection for the civil rights and civil liberties of every American. 

Mondaire Jones is a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and formerly a Democratic U.S. representative for New York’s 17th Congressional District serving on the House Judiciary and Ethics committees. 



Source link

Previous Post

A visionary weaving the future of fashion

Next Post

4 things to know about mudslide risk as major rains hit Los Angeles County

Related Posts

Trump’s big beautiful bill: What’s actually in it

Trump’s big beautiful bill: What’s actually in it

July 1, 2025
5

Court limits on nationwide injunctions pose challenge for those fighting Trump’s agenda

July 1, 2025
7
Next Post
Floods and landslides are a risk as fire-scarred L.A. girds for rain

4 things to know about mudslide risk as major rains hit Los Angeles County

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Barcelona records hottest June in more than 100 years as blistering heat wave grips Europe

Barcelona records hottest June in more than 100 years as blistering heat wave grips Europe

July 1, 2025

EDGE, ST Engineering sign MoU to explore business opportunities in UAE

July 1, 2025
If a bunch of Americans transfer to better clubs, will it solve the USMNT's problems?

If a bunch of Americans transfer to better clubs, will it solve the USMNT’s problems?

July 1, 2025
Elisabetta Cocciaretto stuns Jessica Pegula in Wimbledon first round

Elisabetta Cocciaretto stuns Jessica Pegula in Wimbledon first round todayheadline

July 1, 2025

Recent News

Barcelona records hottest June in more than 100 years as blistering heat wave grips Europe

Barcelona records hottest June in more than 100 years as blistering heat wave grips Europe

July 1, 2025
0

EDGE, ST Engineering sign MoU to explore business opportunities in UAE

July 1, 2025
1
If a bunch of Americans transfer to better clubs, will it solve the USMNT's problems?

If a bunch of Americans transfer to better clubs, will it solve the USMNT’s problems?

July 1, 2025
4
Elisabetta Cocciaretto stuns Jessica Pegula in Wimbledon first round

Elisabetta Cocciaretto stuns Jessica Pegula in Wimbledon first round todayheadline

July 1, 2025
5

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Cybersecurity
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Barcelona records hottest June in more than 100 years as blistering heat wave grips Europe

Barcelona records hottest June in more than 100 years as blistering heat wave grips Europe

July 1, 2025

EDGE, ST Engineering sign MoU to explore business opportunities in UAE

July 1, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co