The long-raging debate around facial recognition software, with all the privacy worries it brings with it, has taken on new urgency as the technology has improved and spread by leaps and bounds.

On Tuesday, San Francisco became the first major American city to block police and other law enforcement agencies from using the software.

Here is a look back at some of the many controversies over facial recognition and its use.

Article Link – The New York Times – Facial Recognition’s Many Controversies, From Stadium Surveillance to Racist Software

Discussion Questions:

1. What in the article did you find most interesting? Provide three key takeaways from the article.
2. Do you think the use of facial recognition should be restricted? Why?
3. What are some of the privacy concerns associated with facial recognition?

Source: Niraj Chokshi, The New York Times, “Facial Recognition’s Many Controversies, From Stadium Surveillance to Racist Software”, www.nytimes.com, May 16, 2019.