Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Biased and wrong? Facial recognition tech in
the dock
What is face recognition, or FR? It is a
method of identifying or verifying the identity of a person by the images of
their faces. Face recognition systems use computer algorithms to pick out specific,
distinctive details about a person’s face, such as distance between the eyes or
shape of the chin. Then, they convert the information into mathematical data
and compared with data of a face recognition database. Facial data can be
collected from social media, Closed-circuit Television (CCTV), traffic cameras,
published or private photos, or organizations’ database without being
recognized by the person. So, if the face of a known terrorist is captured by
security cameras in a public place like an airport or station, face recognition
system alerts the authority for attention or action. It surely saves time and could
save lives.
However, how reliable face recognition
technology is? Unfortunately, it varies by situation and object. The angle and
brightness of the image, and the skin color and gender of the object all affect
the accuracy of the identification system. Also, there are technical
difficulties that are unique to machines. For example, differentiating photos
of a blueberry muffin and the face of a chihuahua dog isn’t an easy task for
facial recognition.
Some authorities use FR aggressively to
identify criminals, unwanted or suspicious people in public places. In fact, there
are hundreds of millions of CCTV cameras installed in China. On the other hand,
law enforcement agencies of San Francisco are banned to use facial recognition for
fear of threatening civil liberties and making false alerts.
Is technology always flawless, or close to
perfect? Which is more reliable, human eyes or AI-powered face recognition?
Enjoy reading the article and think if you
feel more secure in an airport with face recognition security system.
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