Summary
Imagine walking into a huge mall, where hidden cameras scan your face and match it to a database of ‘persons of interest’, like a scene out of a sci-fi movie. That’s what’s happening at the Mall of America, which has stirred up quite a controversy. Critics, including lawmakers and privacy advocates, worry about accuracy issues leading to false identification and potential racial profiling, like a flawed detective jumping to conclusions based on faulty evidence. They are calling for regulations or even a ban on this ‘Big Brother’ tech, while the mall insists it’s like having an extra pair of eyes, helping their security guards keep everyone safe.
Key Points
• The Mall of America (MOA) has integrated advanced facial recognition technology into its security system to help identify “persons of interest”, ranging from criminals to missing children.
• The technology, provided by Corsight, scans security video feeds against a POI photo database. If a match isn’t found, the video isn’t saved.
• Despite MOA claiming the technology is over 99% accurate, concerns have been raised about potential false positives and potential racial profiling.
• Both State Senators Omar Fateh and Eric Lucero, have criticized the decision, labeling it a “direct assault on privacy”.
• MOA plans to use up to three layers of human visual review before acting on any alert from the system.
Background
• Facial recognition technology has been increasingly adopted by various entities such as police, retail stores, airports, and sports arenas across the nation. This comes amidst a rise in public safety concerns, especially those related to gun-related incidents.
Future Implications
• The use of AI-based facial recognition technology in public spaces is likely to continue stirring debates around privacy, civil rights, and racial profiling.
• There could be potential legislative actions to regulate or even ban the use of such technology, as suggested by Senator Fateh.
• Businesses and public spaces might need to strike a balance between ensuring security and respecting individual privacy rights, potentially leading to the development of more refined and accurate recognition systems.
