A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate yesterday would require companies to obtain explicit user consent before facial recognition data could be collected and shared, The Verge reports. Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Roy Blunt, R-Mo., co-sponsored the Commercial Facial Recognition Privacy Act. Third parties would also need to test facial recognition technology for signs of bias before it is introduced to the market. “Consumers are increasingly concerned about how their data is being collected and used, including data collected through facial recognition technology,” Blunt says. “That’s why we need guardrails to ensure that, as this technology continues to develop, it is implemented responsibly.” Microsoft President Brad Smith said he supports the bill. Meanwhile, law firms have hired specialists and formed new practices in response to the increase of biometric privacy lawsuits.
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