The Mayor failed to acknowledge the dangers of private companies using facial recognition after questioning by Zack Polanski AM in Mayor’s Question Time today.
Zack pushed the Mayor to ban or strongly oppose the use of intrusive biometric surveillance technologies (including live facial recognition) within CCTV systems for public spaces in his Public London Charter. He argues that we should be concerned about private companies using facial recognition technology without consent.
Zack believes the Mayor has a responsibility to warn developers, who control private-public space, against using these intrusive technologies – not just encourage transparency for its use when Londoners don’t want to be surveilled in the first place.
Zack Polanski says:
Facial recognition use by private companies is intrusive and consent is an important safeguard.
“As we leave lockdown, our public spaces are more crucial than ever to providing a safe, open space for people to get together.
“The public does not trust the private sector to use facial recognition technology [1] and there’s a reason my Green colleagues in City Hall have campaigned against its use.
“Major cities like San Francisco have banned it completely.
“We must protect privacy in public spaces, so Londoners feel free to enjoy them.
The Mayors Public London Charter simply states that any surveillance technology in use should comply with codes of practice – however, it does not warn private companies against using biometric surveillance or against storing data on the general public.
Previously, Sian Berry has campaigned against facial recognition technology controlled by private companies being used in public spaces and suggested adding restrictions on facial recognition technology to the final charter.
Notes to editors
2. Public London Charter: https://www.london.gov.uk/publications/public-london-charter
3. Privately owned public spaces and the draft Public London Charter (1) https://www.london.gov.uk/questions/2020/3851