THE increasing adoption of live facial recognition (LFR) technologies globally by businesses and governments is rather alarming because it is emerging as a mass surveillance tool, effectively turning each person into a walking ID card.

The technology utilises deep neural network artificial intelligence (Al) algorithms in cameras to identify individuals in real time by cross-referencing their images with the ones available in the respective databases.

While some countries, like China, are rapidly implementing LFR to closely monitor their citizenry, other liberal economies are apprehensive due to privacy issues.

The European Parliament, for instance, recently banned the use of invasive mass surveillance technologies under the Artificial Intelligence Act in public areas.

Even retailers are embracing the LFR technology to monitor their customers. Facewatch, a company based in the United Kingdom, has been scanning the faces of British shoppers in thousands of retail stores using LFR cameras at store entrances. It screens the faces against a database of known offenders, alerting shop assistants if a ‘person of interest’ enters the premises.

A number of British retailers, including prominent chains, have installed Facewatch cameras. In recent times, this technology has played a significant role in addressing the menace of shoplifting, which was so common that it used to be referred to as the ‘cost of living crisis’.

Countries in the West, led by the United States, have been trialling LFR in public places for several years, using it at events, concerts, protests and busy areas. However, the pressing concern for Pakistan is the potential for this technology to lead to complete and widespread mass-level surveillance. Amnesty International has strongly asserted that Al-enabled remote biometric identification systems cannot coexist with a codified system of human rights laws.

On the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) website, there is a noteworthy conversation and transcript between two much respected members; Dr Elizabeth C. Economy and Jessica Chen Weiss. They have shared a fascinating account about the president of Kazakhstan’s visit to a Chinese surveillance technology company. Itis worth listening to.

The technology demonstrated its ability to gather extensive personal information with just one click, including school history, work history, financial situation and leisure activities. Such detailed and invasive surveillance capabilities have sparked interest and concern in terms of implementing similar technologies in other countries.

The use of Al machine learning in LFR technology also raises concerns about accurate identification of ethnic minorities, potentially leading to discrimination and undermining personal liberties.

As LFR becomes more prevalent in public spaces, Pakistanis should be vigilant about the potential implications related to privacy and civil liberties. Striking a balance between technological advancement and protecting individual rights is essential to ensure a secure and free society.

Renowned historian Edwin Black’s famous book, IBM and the Holocaust, provides us with a valuable historical lesson. Through extensive research, Black reveals how IBM and its subsidiaries played a role in creating enabling technologies for the Nazis, starting with identification and cataloguing programmes in the 1940s.

This cautionary tale from history should be able to reminds us of the devastating effects that may result when such technologies are misused.

Adil Hanif
London, UK

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023