Facial recognition technology is rapidly spreading throughout the United States, pushed forward by the tech sector at a pace that federal regulators can’t keep up with. It’s happening so fast that most people still aren’t aware of its existence. While many are familiar with facial recognition through Apple’s Face ID and Samsung’s Face Recognition for security and convenience, the reality is more complex and harmful than that.
Just ask Robert Williams. In 2019, he was arrested due to a false positive facial recognition search result, witnessed by his young daughter on their front lawn. The faulty result would have been impossible for any human to make, as Williams’ face and that of the perpetrator do not look alike. This speaks to the biases inherent in facial recognition algorithms, as they are trained using faces fed into them by humans. This is not an isolated incident. Facial recognition technology has higher error rates for people of color, women and the elderly, leading to inaccurate and unfair results. It has also been used to infringe on privacy and civil liberties, allowing for law enforcement to track and monitor innocent citizens. As Alaskans, we place a high value on our privacy, as evidenced by its inclusion in our state constitution. However, our privacy rights have been eroded for decades, particularly at the federal level.
That’s why I am proposing an ordinance to ban facial recognition technology in the Anchorage municipality. We shouldn’t wait for abuses to come to light before taking action. It’s time for Anchorage to take a proactive stance and protect our community from the negative impacts of facial recognition technology by implementing robust, comprehensive regulation.
Furthermore, facial recognition technology is not foolproof.
Even if it becomes more accurate, there is always the risk of false positives and errors, leading to innocent people being wrongly identified and targeted. We simply cannot risk the potential harm to innocent individuals and our privacy rights.
In conclusion, the potential benefits of facial recognition technology do not outweigh the very real risks to privacy, civil liberties and the potential for abuse. As a community, we must take a proactive approach and ban the use of facial recognition technology in the Anchorage municipality. Let’s stand up for our privacy rights and protect our community from harm.
— Joey Sweet
Anchorage
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