Police use of facial recognition in Britain is spreading
The riots have given the technology a boost. Regulation is not keeping up
Britons spend large chunks of their lives on camera. The country has up to 6m closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras—one for every 11 people in the country, the third-highest penetration rate in the world after America and China. To help identify rioters in the wake of violent protests that swept parts of the country in early August, police officers are collecting footage from mosques and shops that were vandalised. Some are releasing CCTV footage to the public to identify suspects. Others are using another technology to get the job done—facial recognition.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Facial awareness”
Britain September 7th 2024
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From the September 7th 2024 edition
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