The Government Accountability Office has issued an in-depth report critical of the FBI’s use of facial recognition technology. Specifically, the GAO has “concerns regarding both the effectiveness of the technology” and the “protection of privacy and individual civil liberties,” ZDNet reports. The FBI has collected 411 million photos in various databases. “The FBI has entered into agreements to search and access external databases — including millions of U.S. citizens’ driver’s license and passport photos,” the GAO states, but until the FBI can assure the data they receive is accurate, “it is unclear whether such agreements are beneficial to the FBI,” the report continued. Meanwhile, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration released suggested best practices derived from its multi-stakeholder process on facial recognition. Several consumer and privacy advocacy organizations have come out against the guidelines.
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