Facial Recognition Software Creates Concerns About Privacy
Clearview AI, a facial recognition software application, is created controversy and privacy concerns among mass numbers of consumers. This application allows for the identity of a person to be recovered including their name, phone number, address, and any other information that is available on the millions of databases used by the app.
The startup claims that it has no intention of making it available to consumers and there is nowhere that the app is available in any app store. Right now, the only ones with access are law enforcement agencies, and that number is over 600 with access to it.
The startup is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in the state of Illinois. Claims that the company is violating privacy laws, including the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. This is a law that protects residents of the state of Illinois from having their biometric data used without their consent for anyone to do so.
The lawsuit is also trying to shut down the business. It claims that Clearview has been silently using the internet to gather information on millions of people without any reason to suspect that they have done anything wrong.
There is also a lot of worries that Clearview’s technology will open the door for other companies to create software like it and make it available to the public. The biggest problem that has risen from the software is that it could form a bias against people by misidentifying them.
Facial recognition can be a double-edged sword. While there are a lot of cons to the software and the violation of civil rights, there is also the flip side where it can keep the masses safe. Facial recognition software could help prevent retail crimes, protect schools from threats, and help find missing persons.
The entire subject remains up in the air at the present time on whether Clearview AI will be allowed to continue the work they are doing. There may be restrictions in the future on how they conduct their business, but only time will tell. It will be down to the judge to weigh out the pros and the cons of having this software out on the market for private usage.
