Police Use of AI Facial Recognition Raises Privacy Alarms

Intermediate | June 17, 2025

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A Closer Look at AI Facial Recognition Privacy

Around the United States, police departments are increasingly using a powerful technology called AI facial recognition. This technology uses artificial intelligence to identify people in photos or videos by matching their faces to images in large databases. While AI facial recognition privacy is a growing concern, the technology can be a helpful tool for solving crimes, like finding missing persons or identifying suspects from security footage. However, this growing use is causing significant worry about privacy and civil liberties among many people.

New Orleans Case Raises Questions

One recent example creating headlines is in New Orleans. The police department there wants official permission to use facial recognition more widely, even after investigations showed they had been using it secretly through a network of private cameras since 2023. This secret use happened despite existing city rules that limited the technology’s use, which has certainly raised some eyebrows and questions about transparency.

Concerns About Fairness and Accuracy

Civil Rights Groups Speak Out

Civil rights groups, like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), are particularly concerned. They point out that AI facial recognition technology can make mistakes. Studies have shown that the technology sometimes has higher false-positive rates for people from marginalized groups, including Black individuals.

Real-World Consequences of Mistakes

These errors are not just technical glitches; they can have serious real-world consequences. There have been cases of people being wrongfully arrested because they were incorrectly identified by facial recognition systems. These wrongful arrests can be very stressful and harmful for the individuals involved, affecting their freedom and reputation.

The Ongoing Debate Over AI Facial Recognition Privacy

Supporters See Public Safety Benefits

Supporters argue that facial recognition is a critical tool for modern policing, helping to identify criminals quickly and keep communities safe. They believe that with proper policies and oversight, the technology can be used effectively while protecting rights.

Opponents Worry About Privacy Risks

However, opponents argue that the risks to privacy and the potential for misuse are too high. They worry about the possibility of widespread surveillance, where everyone’s movements could be tracked. They are calling for stricter regulations, or even bans, on police use of this technology to protect civil liberties.

Lawmakers Face a Tough Balancing Act

This situation presents a real challenge: how can law enforcement use new technologies to improve public safety while also protecting everyone’s right to privacy and ensuring fair treatment for all? Cities and lawmakers across the country are grappling with this complex issue as they consider how to move forward.

Vocabulary

Facial recognition (noun): Technology that identifies people by analyzing their faces.
- Example: “Police used facial recognition to try to identify the suspect from the photo.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) (noun): The development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, like visual perception or decision-making.
- Example: “AI is changing many industries, including how police work.”
Privacy (noun): The state or condition of being free from public attention to the degree that you determine.
- Example: “Many people are worried about their privacy when using new technology.”
Civil liberties (plural noun): Individual rights, such as freedom of speech and assembly, protected by law.
- Example: “The use of surveillance technology can impact civil liberties.”
Databases (plural noun): Structured sets of data held in a computer, especially one that is accessible in various ways.
- Example: “The facial recognition software compares faces to images in large databases.”
Investigation (noun): A formal inquiry or systematic study.
- Example: “The police opened an investigation into the secret use of the technology.”
Transparency (noun): Operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed.
- Example: “There is a call for greater transparency in how police use AI.”
Marginalized groups (plural noun): Groups of people who are pushed to the edge of society and are discriminated against.
- Example: “Studies show the technology can have higher error rates for marginalized groups.”
False-positive rate (noun): The rate at which an incorrect positive result occurs (e.g., the technology incorrectly identifies someone).
- Example: “The high false-positive rate of the software is a major concern.”
Regulation (noun): A rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
- Example: “Lawmakers are discussing new regulations for AI technology.”

Discussion Questions (About the Article)

What is AI facial recognition technology and how are police using it?
What happened in New Orleans regarding the police’s use of this technology?
What are some of the main concerns raised by civil rights groups about facial recognition?
Why are wrongful arrests a serious problem connected to this technology?
What is the main disagreement between supporters and opponents of police using facial recognition?

Discussion Questions (About the Topic)

How do you feel about police using AI facial recognition in your community?
What are the potential benefits of using this technology to fight crime?
What steps do you think are necessary to protect people’s privacy if this technology is used?
Should there be different rules for using facial recognition in public places versus private places?
How can we ensure that new technologies are used fairly for everyone?

Related Idiom

Double-edged sword

Meaning: Something that has both advantages and disadvantages.

Example: “Facial recognition technology can be a “double-edged sword;” it helps solve crimes but also raises privacy issues.”

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This article was inspired by: The Epoch Times, June 10, 2025