As Cameras Track Detroit’s Residents, a Debate Ensues Over Racial Bias

Source: Amy Harmon
Affiliation: The New York Times

This article discusses the city of Detroit’s “Project Green Light” initiative which uses facial recognition surveillance to find criminals. Some appreciate the ease with which criminals are able to be caught using facial recognition technology and argue that if you don’t have anything to hide you have no reason to fear the facial recognition technology. Furthermore, proponents of “Project Green Light” argue that nobody is convicted of a crime based only on the results of the facial recognition algorithm. On the other hand, opponents argue that this use of facial recognition technology is an invasion of privacy. Opponents also note that it is dangerous for facial recognition technology to become ubiquitous in a city with a significant Black population when facial recognition algorithms have been proven to be significantly more faulty on darker-skinned faces.

Keywords: Computer Science , Facial Recognition , Tech Ethics