Watchdog: 10 Government Agencies Deployed Clearview AI Facial Recognition Tech:
Multiple federal agencies that employ law enforcement personnel used facial recognition technology designed and owned by non-government entities in recent years—and 10 deployed systems made by the controversial company, Clearview AI.
In a 92-page report addressed to Congress and publicly released Tuesday, the Government Accountability Office offers details on a range of government implementations of the biometric technology. GAO Director for Homeland Security and Justice Gretta Goodwin confirmed that Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Coons, D-Del., Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden D-Ore., asked GAO to steer the study.
"A goal of this project was to provide the 'lay of the land' in terms of federal law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology," she told Nextgov Tuesday.
But GAO found 13 of 42 agencies surveyed do not have a firm grasp of all the non-government facial recognition tools their teams use and therefore cannot fully assess accompanying dangers.
"By implementing a mechanism to track what non-federal systems are used by employees, agencies will have better visibility into the technologies they rely upon to conduct criminal investigations," officials recommended in the report. "In addition, by assessing the risks of using these systems, including privacy and accuracy-related risks, agencies will be better positioned to mitigate any risks to themselves and the public."
The report is a public version of a more sensitive document sent to Congress members in early April. But the June-dated document "omits sensitive information about agency ownership and use of facial recognition technology," according to GAO.
(...) GAO further found 13 agencies that confirmed their use of non-federal systems had incomplete information around exactly what was being deployed and lacked the means to effectively track it. As a result, the watchdog presented two recommendations to each of those 13 federal agencies to implement a mechanism to track what systems insiders use and ultimately assess the risks of using these systems. All but one agency concurred with the suggestions.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by anubi on Saturday July 03 2021, @11:56PM (1 child)
I get a strong premonition the driver here is to get dirt to throw at political adversaries.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday July 04 2021, @02:50AM
FWIW, I've always thought the GAO was about as non-partisan as it is possible for any government agency to be. They are all about worshipping the Great Bean Counter in the Sky. Any dirt that is dug up is dealt with impartially, at least at their level. However, when congress gets their reports, anything goes.
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @12:19AM
In all his wisdom he saw fit to make sure we'll never again hear the phrase "papers please." All heil GOD's new digital right hand DigiLord!
(Score: 3, Touché) by inertnet on Sunday July 04 2021, @12:21AM (2 children)
You can opt out of face recognition and if your face is recognized, you will not be recognized.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @12:44AM (1 child)
Just be Black, Asian or Mexican... AI has trouble with them.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @01:38PM
>> AI has trouble with them.
So do most white people.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @12:25AM (3 children)
Who? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/technology/clearview-facial-recognition-ai.html [nytimes.com]
That guy.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @12:44AM (1 child)
We keep telling Republicans that the alt-right is the vangaurd of the next wave of fascism, but they're busy believing all the lies from the fascists about how the anti-facsists are the real problem.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by fustakrakich on Sunday July 04 2021, @02:34AM
It's all one big happy family, try not to think about it.
If you want to mess with facial recognition (and scare little kids at the airport), just paint a bunch of eyeballs on your mask
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Sunday July 04 2021, @03:03AM
More detail:
"The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It"
http://stateofthenation.co/?p=4941 [stateofthenation.co]
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @03:15AM (1 child)
Democracy is too exhausting. Too many assholes trying to fuck the system over, and the assholes are us.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 04 2021, @07:37AM
The results might not be better but at least it'll be cheaper.
And you get to blame the Indians for your problems. ;)