Concerns Over Live Facial Recognition Technology in London
A report released today by Green Party Assembly Member Zoë Garbett highlights significant issues regarding the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) deployment of live facial recognition (LFR) technology. The findings indicate that the technology is being rolled out without explicit legal backing and lacks transparency, with a disproportionately adverse impact on Black and brown communities.
Longstanding Objections to Technology
Civil liberties organisations and policymakers have voiced concerns since the initial testing of LFR nearly a decade ago. Despite the absence of specific laws authorising its deployment, police forces throughout England and Wales, including the MPS, persist in utilizing this controversial technology.
Garbett’s earlier research revealed that over 50% of all LFR activities in 2024 occurred in areas with significantly higher Black populations, such as Thornton Heath in Croydon (40%), Northumberland Park in Haringey (36%), and Deptford High Street in Lewisham (34%). Overall, the evidence suggests that LFR is being disproportionately applied in regions populated by Black, Asian, and Mixed ethnic groups. The MPS has faced criticism for its limited transparency regarding the locations and circumstances under which LFR is applied.
Key Recommendations from the Report
The new report, which incorporates insights from civil liberties groups like Big Brother Watch and Liberty, presents four key recommendations:
- The Metropolitan Police Service should immediately cease the use of Live Facial Recognition technology.
- The Mayor of London should advocate for the Government to enact primary legislation that imposes strict limitations on the use of LFR, restricting it to serious criminal cases and prohibiting its application by private entities or other public authorities.
- The MPS must disclose the actual financial and operational costs associated with all LFR deployments.
- All deployments should be free from bias, with assessments regarding watchlists, locations, and strategies made publicly accessible for London residents to examine.
Government Consultation Context
This report coincides with an ongoing Government consultation on facial recognition technology. It concludes with a proposed consultation response, authored by Garbett, aimed at informing Londoners on how to participate in the government’s discussions.
Voices Against Surveillance
Zoë Garbett remarked, “Live facial recognition technology subjects everyone to constant surveillance, undermining the democratic principle that individuals should not be monitored without reasonable suspicion.” She emphasized that the technology allows for unregulated police oversight over daily lives, lacking essential safeguards.
“While the Met claims that LFR is effective, they fail to provide the necessary data for independent scrutiny of these assertions,” Garbett added, citing incidents where children have been unjustly placed on watchlists and Black Londoners have faced disproportionate targeting and misidentification.
Garbett further expressed concern over the Government’s simultaneous announcement to expand LFR while seeking public input on its use, highlighting the absence of specific legislation governing the technology’s application. She urged individuals to participate in the consultation, utilising the guidance she has created to ensure public influence on future use of LFR.
Source: official statements, news agencies, and public reports.
https://www.london.gov.uk/new-report-zoe-garbett-am-urges-immediate-pause-mets-rapid-expansion-live-facial-recognition
