The Metropolitan Police is set to expand its use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology, deploying static cameras in London's West End and Soho by Christmas, followed by six additional areas next year. The cameras, which could be attached to street furniture like lampposts, scan faces of passersby and compare them against a watchlist of wanted suspects.
Controversy and Criticism
Critics argue that the expansion forces tens of thousands of innocent people into a "digital police lineup." Silkie Carlo of Big Brother Watch stated: "Expanding the use of live facial recognition to static cameras is an alarming escalation of an intrusive technology which has already scanned the faces of millions of innocent Londoners. Forcing people to enter a digital police lineup in the capital’s busiest and most popular destinations is an affront to the idea that you should not have to identify yourself to the police if you have done nothing wrong."
Previous Trials and Success Claims
The Met has trialled LFR using vans deployed temporarily in some areas and a static camera in Croydon, south London. The force claims the Croydon pilot was a success, with 173 arrests made over six months from cameras placed at both ends of Croydon high street. According to the Met, only one person was wrongly identified out of 470,000 faces scanned, and that individual was released without arrest.
Future Plans and Cost
In 2027, the Met plans to install static LFR cameras in six further areas and hopes local councils will contribute to the cost. The cameras will move location as officers spot crime trends. The Met insists that any arrest decision following an LFR alert is made by a human being.
Privacy and Bias Concerns
LFR is controversial because it primarily surveils innocent individuals and its algorithm can discriminate against Black people. The Met has reduced the algorithm's sensitivity, claiming this nearly eliminates bias. Police and government supporters say civil rights issues are minimal. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: "Facial recognition is one of the most revolutionary technology advances in policing in recent years. Public confidence in this is clear – around 80% of Londoners support its use. That backing reflects a simple truth: it works."
Transparency Measures
The Met said the use of LFR cameras would be advertised beforehand, and faces not matching a suspect are deleted from the system nearly instantaneously. Rowley added: "We want to build on our success by introducing this capability to the West End and Soho by December. The use of static cameras will help us continue cutting crime in high-footfall areas in central London."
