Amazon's "Dangerous New Face Recognition Technology" Says ACLU

By: John Honovich, Published on May 23, 2018

The ACLU has caused a stir, with a new report Amazon Teams Up With Law Enforcement to Deploy Dangerous New Face Recognition Technology, explaining:

Powered by artificial intelligence, Rekognition can identify, track, and analyze people in real time and recognize up to 100 people in a single image. It can quickly scan information it collects against databases featuring tens of millions of faces, according to Amazon...

With Rekognition, a government can now build a system to automate the identification and tracking of anyone.

Most importantly, the ACLU requested and received 147-pages of information on Amazon's interaction with US government entities. Based on that evidence, our conclusion is that Amazon is having success with greater potential for mugshot comparisons but much more challenges for 'real time' facial recognition. Inside this note, we share our review of that 147-page file, calling out the most notable passages and what that reveals about Amazon's progress, or lack thereof, in facial recognition.

*** **** *** ****** a ****, **** * new ****** ****** ***** ** **** Law *********** ** ****** Dangerous *** **** *********** Technology, **********:

******* ** ********** ************, Rekognition *** ********, *****, *** ******* people ** **** **** and ********* ** ** 100 ****** ** * single *****. ** *** quickly **** *********** ** collects ******* ********* ********* tens ** ******** ** faces, ********* ** ******...

**** ***********, * ********** can *** ***** * system ** ******** *** identification *** ******** ** anyone.

**** ***********, *** **** requested *** ******** ***-***** ** *********** ** Amazon's *********** **** ** ********** entities. ***** ** **** evidence, *** ********** ** that ****** ** ****** success **** ******* ********* for ******* *********** *** much **** ********** *** 'real ****' ****** ***********. ****** this ****, ** ***** our ****** ** **** 147-page ****, ******* *** the **** ******* ******** and **** **** ******* about ******'* ********, ** lack *******, ** ****** recognition.

[***************]

Missing *****

*** **** ********, ***-******* ***** in *** **** ** that ****** ****** ** Simpson ** **** ******:

**** ** **** ** example ** ********** ******, who ***** ** *** on *** ** ******'****************** *********** *******.

** *** *** * user ** *** **********, the **** ** ******** should ** **********. *** if *** *** *** ACLU, *** *** ****** to **** ** **** afraid ** *** ***** liberties ************ ** ***** mismatches, ******, **********, ****** officers *** *** **** man ** *** ** Simpson.

Best *** **** *********

*** **** ********** ******, however, ** *** *********, clearest **** *** *** service, ** ** ******** explains *** ********:

Cheap *** ******* ***** ***********

****** *********** ******* **** photos ** *** ***** as **** ******* **** been ************ ********* *** years. *******, *** **** that ** ** ** inexpensive ** *** *** few ******* ******* *** month (*.*., '$* * month ** ****') ** disprutive economically.

Not ****-**** 

*** ***** ********** ****** makes *****, **** ******'* marketing *** *** ****'* fears, ** **** ***** searches '****** ******* ** less **** ** *******'. While **** ** ********* compared ** ***** **** manually, ** ** **** slow *** *** ********* and ***** ** ****-**** alerting.

Problem ***** ******

********** ****** ******** **** they *** ** *** and *** ******** **** have ***** ****:

Built ** *** ** ******

*** ********** ****** ******** explains *** ** ***** it ** *** ** the*********** ******* / ***:

**** ** *** * normal ****, ** *** employee ******** ** ********** did *********** ** **** and *** **** **** recognition *** ** *** own '**** ****':

**** ******* *** *** success **** **** ***** on *** ***** ****, video **** ******** *****:

Orlando ****-**** ****** ************ *********

**** ***** ** **** impressive ********** *** **** troubling *** ******* ** the ****'* ****** ***** Amazon's ***** ** *******, where *** **** ********:

*********** **** ************ ** now ********* ****** ******* in ****-****, ********* ** ******, ******** *** ******* to ****** *** “****** of ********” ** ******* rolls ** **** “******* all **** *** ****.”

*** ******* ** **** the **** ***** ** Amazon ******** ***** *** [link ** ****** *********], who ** ******** ****** to ****** *** ******* the ****** **** *** following ***** ****:

***** *** **** **** ***** claims, ** *** ********* or ***** ********. *** one, *** ********** ****** **** cites * ~ **-****** processing ****, *** **** our ********** **** ****** cloud *******, **** *** not ***** ** '****-****' (where ****-**** ***** **** a ****** ** ***).

********, ******* ***************** ***** ****** ** the ***:

*** *** *** ***** of ****** *******, ***** having ******* *********** ** Orlando *** ******* ********** any ** *** ****-**** or *** **** *** city **********.

****, *** *** *****, even ** *** *********, given *** ****** ** processing ******** *** *** certain ******** ******** **** would ***** ******** **** at *****, **** ** more **** **** *******.

ACLU ***** ** *********** **** *** ******** ** ****** ******

**** *****, ** ***** the **** *** ****** the ****** ****** ********** these ******** ** *** government *** *** ********* risks ** **** **********. However, *** **** ***** more ******** **** *** trade *********, ****** *********** in *******. ******** ***** overstated ********* ***** * ************ company *****, *** **** accepts **. ***** **** are ****** ******** *** do *** ********** *** the ********** *****, ** maybe **** ***** **** magnify *** ********* ***** and ****** ** *** problem, **** ** *** technology ** *** **** where **** ****** ** to **.

Outlook ***** - ********* ** ********

*** ********** ****** *** case ** * **** good ******* ** * low-cost *** ** *** technology ** ******* **** a ****** ******* ** scanning *** ********. ** expect **** ** ******** to ******.

*******, *** ****-**** '*** over *** ****' *** of ****** *********** ** much **** ***********, ** these ********* **** **********. 

Comments (19)

Undisclosed End User #1

05/23/18 06:46pm

**** ** *** ******** ********* **** booking ****** *** ***'* have *** ****** ******** cameras ** ** ****!

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #1 | 05/23/18 08:02pm

*** **** ** *** are ******* ** *** but * ***** **** application ***** ** ***********. 

**************:

- *** ***** **** someone ** *** *** offender ******** ** ** a ***** ******? *****. The ***** ** **, the **** ****** *** ratio ** ***** ********* is ******** (*.*., ****** matched ** *** ********* who *** *** ** actual *** *********).

- *** ***** ** getting **** ******* **** the ******. *** **** to ******* *** ***** stream *** *****, *** the *****, **** **** to ******, **** *** Amazon ** ****** * match. ** **** ****, the ****** *** **** moved ***** ***.

- **** *** **** an ******** *** ** going ** ****** **** of ***** ****** (***** returns ** *** ******* of ** * *****).

Undisclosed End User #1

In reply to John Honovich | 05/23/18 08:21pm

*** ******* ** ** don't **** *** ***** a *** ******** ****** a ******. (**** ****: we *** ********** * visitor ********** ****** **** will ** *** *****, but ********** *****'* **** very ******* ** * don't **** **** **** **** will ******. ************, **** administrators **** ************* **** any **** ** *****). 

* ***** *** ******* that this ****** ***'* ***** *** most ************, ***. *** ACLU ** ************, *** now.   

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #1 | 05/23/18 08:26pm

******* - **** ******* management ****** ** ********* facial *********** / ******** / *** ******** ***** in ***** ********? * could *** *** *****, also ***** *** *** taking * ******* ** the ****** ***** ** front ** ***, *** quality ***** ** ******.

Undisclosed End User #1

In reply to John Honovich | 05/23/18 08:36pm

*** ******* ********** ****** I'm **** ******** **** ******** **** ********. 

*** *************, ** *****'* use ****** ***********, ****** ************-***** and ***-**** ********** *********. Upon *****, **** ** is *******, *** ** looks *** * ******** match.

** **** **** **** ** info to ***** * ********* sticker-badge **** *** ***** from **** **.

**** ****** ********* ***** * paper ****-** ***** ** adequate *** ******* ********. I ** ***.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to John Honovich | 05/23/18 08:41pm

********* **** *** * *** offender ********* ******* ***** searches *** ** ***** databases ***** ** **. But ** *****'* **** facial ***********, ******.

Avatar

Lynn Harold

In reply to John Honovich | 05/24/18 11:05pm

* *** ***** ***, I *** ** ************** at * ******* ****** with *** **** ***** and **** ** *** sex ******** ********.  ** used *** ******'* **** and *** ** ***** against *** ******** (** were ******** ******'* ******** to ******** ********).  * actually *** * *** on *** * - just * *********** **** a ********** *** *** same **** *** *** as ******* ** *** registry, *** *** ******* not *** **** ******.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Lynn Harold | 05/24/18 11:29pm

****, ******!

**** * *********** **** a ********** *** *** same **** *** *** as ******* ** *** registry

**** * ********* *** that ******, *** ****** that ******** *** *** thought **** ** ***** happen ********* *** ***. 

Slava H

05/23/18 09:13pm

***** *** **** * comprehensive ******** ****. **** helpful, ****** **** ** the **** ****. 

**** $* **** ** a ******* ****** - seems **** ******* ****** obtained **** ***** ** using *** ******** (***** is ***.**$ ******) *** regular ****** (******) *** Recognition *******. 

 

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Slava H | 05/23/18 09:41pm

*****, ******! *** $* claim ***** **** **********, not *******. * ** not **** **** ******* did *****.

*******, *** ***** ******* on *** $***.** ******,**** **** **:

*** ***** **** ***,*** ******. That sounds **** * *** but, *** **********, ***** are *** *** ****** of ******* ** * month (*.*., *,***,*** ******* in * *****), ** even * ****** ****** only ******* * ***** every ** ******* ***** generate ****.

Slava H

In reply to John Honovich | 05/24/18 12:29am

** ****, *** *** right.

***, ***$ ****** ***** to ** *** ******** ******, while *$ *** ******* US **** *********** ***** storage *** *.*$ *** US **** *********** ********** (magic *$ ******).

** * *** ******* how **** ** ****** **** wrote ***** *$ ******* charge. * ***'* ***** public ****** *** *** *** other ***** ****** ********. 

*** ***, ** ******* ** amount ****** *** **** to *******. ** ** want **  ******* ***** **** ****** it would **** **$ *** camera *** ******** *** *.** *** regular *** ***** *********** service. **** ** **** a ********** **** ** recognition *******.

*** ***** *** **** ****** optimization ******** ***** ** to *** **** **** of ******/**** ********* ** ******** face ********* **********. ****** cameras ** ******* ****** ***** need to ** ********* **/* thought.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Slava H | 05/24/18 12:58am

* ***'* **** ***** the ********** ***** ******* but * ***** *** $332.95 ** *** *** time ****** *** ********* the ******** ******* ********.

Slava H

05/24/18 07:12pm

***, *** *** ***** John.

***$ ****** ** *** storage *** ******** ***** its ***** ** *.*$ per **** ***** *** comparison ** *.**$ *** 1000 ****** *** ******* cloud ******.

Paul Shah

06/27/18 05:40pm

******* ****** *** **** Of ******'* ****-**** ****** 'Rekognition' ******

 

 

Undisclosed #2

06/27/18 11:58pm

***** ** ** ******** this ** ** ** our ******. ** ********** will ****** *** ****** so ****** *** *** guy **** *** ** able ** ** ********.

**** ******** *** /******* hat.

* **** ***'* **** for ** ***** *****!

Avatar

Sean Patton

IPVM | 07/12/18 06:44pm

******* ** ** ********* its **** ** ****** 'Rekognition'

 

 

Michael Miller

07/26/18 09:56pm

******'* **** *********** ******* Matched ** ******* ** Congress **** ********.

Undisclosed #3

12/14/18 09:16am

******:**** ******* ***** *********** of *********** *** **** after ********* ****** ******

John Honovich

IPVM | 07/24/19 08:21pm

******:******* ******* ****** *********** program, ******* ** ****** of ******** *** *********** | ******* ****** *********, ****** ******** ********* issues ******* ***** ** AWS:

"** *****'* **** *********** a ****** *****. **'** talking ***** **** **** a **** *****," **** Akhtarkhavari, *******'* ***** *********** officer, **** ** ** interview **** ******* ****** ****** *** ****** *****. "** have ***, *****, *********** a ******** ******." 

*************, *******'* ********** **** who *********** *** *****, said ********* ****** ********* city ***** **** ******* the ******** ******** ** conjunction **** *** **** than *** ****** — and ********* **** ****** wouldn't **** ** ********. "**'** never ****** ** *** point ** **** ******," she ****. 

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

UK Camera Commissioner Calls for Regulating Facial Recognition on Apr 15, 2019
IPVM interviewed Tony Porter, the UK’s surveillance camera commissioner after he recently called for regulations on facial recognition in the...
How China's Pay By Facial Recognition Works on Apr 02, 2019
Many social media posts have variously celebrated or warned about the growing use of facial recognition for payments in China. An example of one...
Hikvision AI Problems Criticized By Chinese Publication on Apr 09, 2019
Hikvision's facial recognition works poorly, causes delays and worsens learning, according to a new investigation by one of China's leading...
Verkada Wins $783,000 Memphis Deal on Apr 29, 2019
The US city, most famous in video surveillance for standardizing on Hikvision, has issued an RFQ for 962 Verkada cameras due Wednesday, May 1,...
IBM Shuts Down Intelligent Video Analytics on May 02, 2019
Abruptly, IBM has discontinued its Intelligent Video Analytics solution, it confirmed to IPVM. IBM's video analytics have faced recent media...
China Subway Facial Recognition System Examined on Jun 24, 2019
A China city of 6+ million people has installed facial recognition-enabled gates in subways, allowing commuters to enter stations by simply showing...
GDPR / ICO Complaint Filed Against Dahua on Jun 27, 2019
IPVM has filed a GDPR complaint against Dahua UK's facial recognition conducted at their booth during this year's IFSEC show. In this post, we...
UK Facial Recognition Essex Errors Report on Jul 05, 2019
Facial recognition trials in the UK have generated significant controversy and debate over the past few years. This week, it flared again when Sky...
UK Facewatch GDPR Compliance Questioned on Aug 27, 2019
Even as the GDPR strictly regulates biometrics, a UK company called Facewatch is selling anti-shoplifter facial recognition systems to hundreds of...
Clearview AI Alarm - NY Times Report Says "Might End Privacy" on Jan 20, 2020
Over the weekend, the NY Times released a report titled "The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It" about a company named...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Hazardous & Explosion Proof Access Control Tutorial on Feb 27, 2020
Controlling access to hazardous environments requires equipment meeting specific ratings that certify they will not start fires or will not...
Motorola / Avigilon Drops ISC West on Feb 26, 2020
Motorola Solutions has pulled out of ISC West 2020 effective immediately, because of coronavirus concerns, IPVM has learned. This is done amidst...
Cancel or Not? Industry Split Over ISC West on Feb 26, 2020
The industry is split, polarized, over whether ISC West 2020 should run or be canceled. New IPVM survey results of 400+ respondents show heated...
Coronavirus Hits Sony, Bosch Says Switch on Feb 26, 2020
Sony's fall in video surveillance has been severe over the past decade. Now, they may be done. In this note, we examine Bosch's new...
Video Surveillance Cameras 101 on Feb 25, 2020
Cameras come in many shapes, sizes and specifications. This 101 examines the basics of cameras and features used in 2020. In this report, we...
Favorite Video Analytic Manufacturers 2020 on Feb 25, 2020
Video analytics is now as hot as ever, driven by the excitement of advancing deep learning offers. But what are actually integrator's...
Latest London Police Facial Recognition Suffers Serious Issues on Feb 24, 2020
On February 20, IPVM visited another live face rec deployment by London police, but this time the system was thwarted by technical problems and...
Masks Cause Major Facial Recognition Problems on Feb 24, 2020
Coronavirus is spurring an increase in the use of medical masks, which new IPVM test results show cause major problems for facial recognition...
Every VMS Will Become a VSaaS on Feb 21, 2020
VMS is ending. Soon every VMS will be a VSaaS. Competitive dynamics will be redrawn. What does this mean? VMS Historically...
Video Surveillance 101 Course - Last Chance on Feb 20, 2020
This is the last chance to join IPVM's first Video Surveillance 101 course, designed to help those new to the industry to quickly understand the...

What IPVM Is

The world's leading authority on video surveillance, with 200,000+ visits monthly.

  • Articles on cameras, video analytics, VMS, and trends
  • Tests showing actual performance and problems
  • Courses in surveillance, access control, etc
  • Camera Calculator for designing systems

Dedicated To Independence

We're dedicated to staying independent and objective. We're the only industry source to refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship, and consulting from manufacturers. Why?