The full capabilities of facial recognition technology are well-known, primarily through its use by the Chinese government, but its use in The West has so far been limited by regulation and public opinion. This winter, however, an operation by the UK’s London Metropolitan Police Force (MET) has implemented facial recognition to make a number of arrests. Part of broader UK trials, this operation sheds light on the potential use of facial recognition in policing and other activities across the Western world. The live facial recognition (LFR) technology was deployed in known “hotspots” around the district of Croydon by local police officers and the national Territorial Support Group (TSG). From 22 alerts; ten arrests were made, eight compliances were established, and four court conditions were confirmed, according to a report by the MET. No false alerts were recorded in the December trial, which was hailed a success by the implementers. “Live Facial Recognition is a precise […]