The UK government has launched a 10-week consultation seeking public views on expanding police use of facial recognition technology. The move aims to establish new laws regulating the technology, including the creation of a dedicated regulator to oversee its use by police and other bodies.
Policing minister Sarah Jones described facial recognition as the "biggest breakthrough for catching criminals since DNA matching", noting it has already helped arrest thousands of offenders. According to the Home Office, the Metropolitan Police made 1,300 arrests using the technology over the past two years and identified over 100 registered sex offenders breaching licence conditions.
However, the technology has faced criticism. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) earlier this year labelled the Met Police's live facial recognition policy as "unlawful", warning it could have a "chilling effect" on rights at protests. The Met maintains its use is "lawful and proportionate".
The consultation will consider safeguards to ensure public confidence and whether the technology is proportionate to the harm it addresses. Currently, legal basis for facial recognition is piecemeal, relying on common law and data protection. The government expects new laws to be in place within two years.
Police use three types of facial recognition: retrospective (searching crime scene images against custody photos), live (comparing live footage with wanted lists), and operator-initiated (a mobile app for identity checks). The Home Office spent £12.6 million on the technology last year, including £2.8 million on live systems and £6.6 million on evaluation and a national facial matching service.
National Police Chiefs' Council lead Lindsey Chiswick stressed that "public trust is vital" and welcomed the consultation. Former counter-terrorism chief Neil Basu called the technology a "massive step forward" but urged proper safeguards. Missing People charity also welcomed the consultation, noting facial recognition could help find missing individuals, though ethical implications need addressing.
