Microsoft on facial recognition and police

Microsoft's algorithms trained to offer facial recognition technology will not be offered to the police. The decision is not definitive, but temporary, destined to last until the US introduces into its legislative system rules capable of regulating its use by law enforcement, taking into consideration the need to protect the freedoms and rights of citizens .

Facial recognition: Microsoft's "no" to the police The Redmond group thus aligns with the decision announced yesterday by Amazon for the Rekognition solution, while in recent days IBM has announced that its systems will no longer be used for this purpose. Google's vision on the subject was instead put on paper in a speech by the company at the end of 2018. Here are the translated words of Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, collected at a conference organized by the Washington Post. >
We will not provide face recognition technology to police in the United States as long as national law is in effect. We must establish it to regulate its use on the basis of human rights protection.

Microsoft underlines however that it has not currently signed contracts for the supply of this technology to law enforcement agencies in the USA, while it does not confirm nor does it deny whether the same system is in use by government agencies such as Customs and Border Protection for customs control or Department of Homeland Security for the management of internal matters.

The position taken by hi-tech giants overseas intends to force the legislator to pronounce on the issue by introducing precise and strict rules. A prospect assessed at the beginning of the year also in Europe, then discarded.

Source: NBC News