S.T.O.P. Condemns G.A.O. Facial Recognition Findings, Calls For Ban

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns G.A.O. Facial Recognition Findings, Calls For Ban (New York, NY, 6/30/2021) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a privacy and civil rights group, condemns the findings of a new Government Accountability Office report on use of facial recognition by federal law enforcement agencies. 20 agencies reported using facial recognition, including six agencies that used the technology to track Black Lives Matter protesters. S.T.O.P. also renewed it’s call on President Biden to order a ban on continued use of facial recognition by federal law enforcement agencies.   Report - Facial Recognition Technology: Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Should Better Assess Privacy and Other Risks https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-518   Washington Post - Federal agencies need stricter limits on facial recognition to protect privacy, says government watchdog https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/06/29/gao-facial-recognition-blm/   “Facial recognition is out of control, and it’s only getting worse,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “It’s alarming that six federal agencies targeted facial recognition at BLM protesters. In a democracy, police should not be allowed to use surveillance to punish dissent. While the GAO’s findings are alarming, their recommendations don’t go far enough. We don’t need facial recognition regulations, we need a full ban. We can’t wait for Congress to act, so we are calling on President Biden to issue a moratorium on federal facial recognition.”   The GAO Report found that agencies used facial recognition software from private vendors—including the controversial firm Clearview AI—without confirming its error rate and racial bias. The report also noted that several agencies were unable to confirm if their list of facial recognition systems was complete, or if their employees use additional surveillance tools.   SEE: Daily Dot - Government report finds 20 different agencies use facial recognition https://www.dailydot.com/debug/gao-facial-recognition-federal-agencies/   Axios - Federal watchdog calls for better tracking of facial recognition use https://www.axios.com/gao-watchdog-face-recognition-law-enforcement-a4deba2c-8f03-4f3f-b1cf-d8a40efcbce3.html   Cahn continued, “if these agencies can’t even track what facial recognition software they’re using, why should they be allowed to track us? This level of dysfunction is astounding, even by Washington standards. Also, agencies like the IRS and Fish and Wildlife Service simply have no need for this sort of dystopian tracking toll.”   The GAO report comes just days after the South Florida Sun Sentinel and Pulitzer Center showed that South Florida law enforcement agencies were tracking Black Lives Matter protesters simply for exercising their First Amendment rights.   SEE: S.T.O.P. Condemns South Florida Police’s Facial Recognition Surveillance Of BLM Protests https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2021/6/29/stop-condemns-south-florida-polices-facial-recognition-surveillance-of-blm-protests   Cahn continued, “the systematic use of facial recognition against BLM protesters is a national scandal. Moreover, it’s a warning to those who called for expanded facial recognition in the wake of the 1/6 insurrection. It’s increasingly undeniable that the surveillance tools purchased in the name of fighting right-wing extremists will actually be targeted against communities of color.” The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn Copyright © 2019 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.