http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/135665-fbi-launches-1-billion-nationwide-facial-recognition-system
The
US Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun rolling out its new $1
billion biometric Next Generation Identification (NGI) system. In
essence, NGI is a nationwide database of mugshots, iris scans, DNA
records, voice samples, and other biometrics, that will help the FBI
identify and catch criminals — but it is how this biometric
data is captured, through a nationwide network of cameras and photo
databases, that is raising the eyebrows of privacy advocates.
Until now, the FBI relied on IAFIS, a national fingerprint database that has long been due an overhaul. Over the last few months, the FBI has been pilot testing a facial recognition system — and soon, detectives will also be able to search the system for other biometrics such as DNA records and iris scans. In theory, this should result in much faster positive identifications of criminals and fewer unsolved cases.
According to New Scientist, facial recognition systems have reached the point where they can match a single face from a pool of 1.6 million mugshots/passport photos with 92% accuracy, in under 1.2 seconds [PDF]. In the case of automated, biometric border controls where your face and corresponding mugshot are well lit, the accuracy approaches 100%. Likewise, where DNA or iris records exist, it’s a very expedient way of accurately identifying suspects.
So
far, so good — catching criminals faster and making less false arrests
must be a good thing, right? Well, yes, but there are some important
caveats that we must bear in mind. For a start, the pilot study has only
used mugshots and driving license photos of known criminals — but the
FBI hasn’t guaranteed that this will always be the case. There may come a
time when the NGI is filled with as many photos as possible, from as
many sources as possible, of as many people as possible — criminal or
otherwise. This might be as overt as parsing CCTV footage and collating
every single face into a database; or maybe you’re just unlucky and your
face ends up in the system because you’re in the background of a photo
starring a known criminal.
Imagine if the NGI had full access to every driving license and passport photo in the country — and DNA records kept by doctors, and iris scans kept by businesses. The FBI’s NGI, if the right checks and balances aren’t in place, could very easily become a tool that decimates civilian privacy and freedom. Time to invest in a hoodie, I think…
FBI launches $1 billion nationwide facial recognition system
- By Sebastian Anthony on September 7, 2012 at 1:08 pm
- 51 Comments
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Until now, the FBI relied on IAFIS, a national fingerprint database that has long been due an overhaul. Over the last few months, the FBI has been pilot testing a facial recognition system — and soon, detectives will also be able to search the system for other biometrics such as DNA records and iris scans. In theory, this should result in much faster positive identifications of criminals and fewer unsolved cases.
According to New Scientist, facial recognition systems have reached the point where they can match a single face from a pool of 1.6 million mugshots/passport photos with 92% accuracy, in under 1.2 seconds [PDF]. In the case of automated, biometric border controls where your face and corresponding mugshot are well lit, the accuracy approaches 100%. Likewise, where DNA or iris records exist, it’s a very expedient way of accurately identifying suspects.
So
far, so good — catching criminals faster and making less false arrests
must be a good thing, right? Well, yes, but there are some important
caveats that we must bear in mind. For a start, the pilot study has only
used mugshots and driving license photos of known criminals — but the
FBI hasn’t guaranteed that this will always be the case. There may come a
time when the NGI is filled with as many photos as possible, from as
many sources as possible, of as many people as possible — criminal or
otherwise. This might be as overt as parsing CCTV footage and collating
every single face into a database; or maybe you’re just unlucky and your
face ends up in the system because you’re in the background of a photo
starring a known criminal.Imagine if the NGI had full access to every driving license and passport photo in the country — and DNA records kept by doctors, and iris scans kept by businesses. The FBI’s NGI, if the right checks and balances aren’t in place, could very easily become a tool that decimates civilian privacy and freedom. Time to invest in a hoodie, I think…
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