Facial Recognition Software
Alvarez Technology Group is a top IT services company in Salinas, CA. In a recent interview, Luis Alvarez, the CEO of the company, talked about the development of facial recognition software and the impact it may have.
Alvarez feels that the protests surrounding facial recognition software have forced technology companies to analyze their practices and what they can do to avoid the wrong use of their products and services.
IBM to Stop Using Facial Recognition Software
The CEO of IBM, Arvind Krishna, announced that the company would stop selling its facial recognition services. He advises that it is time for the country to talk about the issue and decide whether facial recognition software should remain in use. He expressed his support for a new bill that seeks to increase police accountability and reduce violence. The company’s exit from the controversial software is just one of many.
Amazon has stopped selling its facial recognition software to law enforcement. They have stopped the sales temporarily until new laws are established. The American Civil Liberties Union applauded Amazon on recognizing the negative effects of face recognition in the hands of law enforcement.
Luis Alvarez also talked about Microsoft and its move to stop selling facial recognition software to law enforcement. The president of Microsoft, Brad Smith, announced that the company would stop selling the software for police use until there is a national law to regulate it. He stated that Microsoft has not sold to law enforcement and won’t do it before a law that is grounded in human rights has been put in place.
The move by Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon is a sign that technology companies are no longer left behind in national debates. Luis Alvarez feels that they have a role to play in ensuring that their products do not foster bad practices. Until the law catches up with technology, the use of facial recognition software in law enforcement remains to be a controversial issue.
The Benefits of Facial Recognition Technology
Even though facial recognition technology is marred with controversy, it has a few benefits. One of the main ones is that TSA and Homeland Security can use it to keep known terrorists from getting into the country. Law enforcement agencies can use it to find missing children and uncover criminals that would otherwise be difficult to trace. In New York, for example, the police managed to use the technology to apprehend an accused rapist within 24 hours after he threatened to rape a woman.
It is great for improving security in airports and at checkpoints. The United States Department of Homeland Security predicts that by 2023, the technology will be used on 97% of all travelers.
In conclusion, just like other technologies, facial recognition technology has its advantages and disadvantages. However, most of the top technology firms agree that leaving it in the hands of law enforcement may not be a good idea since there are no clear state and federal laws to regulate how it can be used.
