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

Author: 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.

*** **** *** ****** * ****, **** * *** ************ ***** ** **** *** *********** ** ****** ********* *** Face *********** **********, **********:

******* ** ********** ************, ************** ********, *****, *** ******* ****** ** **** **** *** ********* up ** *** ****** ** * ****** *****. ** *** quickly **** *********** ** ******** ******* ********* ********* **** ** millions ** *****,********* ** ******...

**** ***********, * ********** *** *** ***** * ****** ** automate *** ************** *** ******** ** ******.

**** ***********, *** **** ********* *** ***********-***** ** *********** ** ******'* *********** **** ** ********** ********. ***** ** **** ********, *** ********** ** **** ****** is ****** ******* **** ******* ********* *** ******* *********** *** much **** ********** *** '**** ****' ****** ***********. ****** **** note, ** ***** *** ****** ** **** ***-**** ****, ******* out *** **** ******* ******** *** **** **** ******* ***** Amazon's ********, ** **** *******, ** ****** ***********.

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

Missing *****

*** **** ********, ***-******* ***** ** *** **** ** **** Amazon ****** ** ******* ** **** ******:

**** ** **** ** ******* ** ********** ******, *** ***** an *** ** *** ** ******'****************** *********** *******.

** *** *** * **** ** *** **********, *** **** of ******** ****** ** **********. *** ** *** *** *** ACLU, *** *** ****** ** **** ** **** ****** ** the ***** ********* ************ ** ***** **********, ******, **********, ****** officers *** *** **** *** ** *** ** *******.

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

*** **** ********** ******, *******, ** *** *********, ******** **** for *** *******, ** ** ******** ******** *** ********:

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

****** *********** ******* **** ****** ** *** ***** ** **** systems **** **** ************ ********* *** *****. *******, *** **** that ** ** ** *********** ** *** *** *** ******* queries *** ***** (*.*., '$* * ***** ** ****') ** disprutive ************.

Not ****-****

*** ***** ********** ****** ***** *****, **** ******'* ********* *** the ****'* *****, ** **** ***** ******** '****** ******* ** less **** ** *******'. ***** **** ** ********* ******** ** doing **** ********, ** ** **** **** *** *** ********* and ***** ** ****-**** ********.

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

********** ****** ******** **** **** *** ** *** *** *** problems **** **** ***** ****:

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

*** ********** ****** ******** ******** *** ** ***** ** ** top ** ************** ******* / ***:

**** ** *** * ****** ****, ** *** ******** ******** he ********** *** *********** ** **** *** *** **** **** recognition *** ** *** *** '**** ****':

**** ******* *** *** ******* **** **** ***** ** *** local ****, ***** **** ******** *****:

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

**** ***** ** **** ********** ********** *** **** ********* *** privacy ** *** ****'* ****** ***** ******'* ***** ** *******, where *** **** ********:

*********** **** ************ ** *** ********* ****** ******* ** ****-****,********* ** ******, ******** *** ******* ** ****** *** “****** ** ********” as ******* ***** ** **** “******* *** **** *** ****.”

*** ******* ** **** *** **** ***** ******** ******** ***** ***, *** ** ******** ****** ** ****** *** ******* *** system **** *** ********* ***** ****:

***** *** **** **** ***** ******, ** *** ********* ** their ********. *** ***, *** ********** ****** **** ***** * ~ **-****** ********** ****, *** **** *** ********** **** ****** cloud *******, **** *** *** ***** ** '****-****' (***** ****-**** means **** * ****** ** ***).

********, ******* ***************** ***** ****** ** *** ***:

*** *** *** ***** ** ****** *******, ***** ****** ******* information ** ******* *** ******* ********** *** ** *** ****-**** or *** **** *** **** **********.

****, *** *** *****, **** ** *** *********, ***** *** delays ** ********** ******** *** *** ******* ******** ******** **** would ***** ******** **** ** *****, **** ** **** **** than *******.

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

**** *****, ** ***** *** **** *** ****** *** ****** better ********** ***** ******** ** *** ********** *** *** ********* risks ** **** **********. *******, *** **** ***** **** ******** than *** ***** *********, ****** *********** ** *******. ******** ***** overstated ********* ***** * ************ ******* *****, *** **** ******* it. ***** **** *** ****** ******** *** ** *** ********** how *** ********** *****, ** ***** **** ***** **** ******* the ********* ***** *** ****** ** *** *******, **** ** the ********** ** *** **** ***** **** ****** ** ** be.

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

*** ********** ****** *** **** ** * **** **** ******* of * ***-**** *** ** *** ********** ** ******* **** a ****** ******* ** ******** *** ********. ** ****** **** to ******** ** ******.

*******, *** ****-**** '*** **** *** ****' *** ** ****** Rekognition ** **** **** ***********, ** ***** ********* **** **********.

Comments (18)

Undisclosed End User #1

05/23/18 06:46pm

**** ** *** ******** ********* **** ******* ****** *** ***'* have *** ****** ******** ******* ** ** ****!

John Honovich

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

*** **** ** *** *** ******* ** *** *** * think **** *********** ***** ** ***********.

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

- *** ***** **** ******* ** *** *** ******** ******** go ** * ***** ******? *****. *** ***** ** **, the **** ****** *** ***** ** ***** ********* ** ******** (i.e., ****** ******* ** *** ********* *** *** *** ** actual *** *********).

- *** ***** ** ******* **** ******* **** *** ******. You **** ** ******* *** ***** ****** *** *****, *** the *****, **** **** ** ******, **** *** ****** ** return * *****. ** **** ****, *** ****** *** **** moved ***** ***.

- **** *** **** ** ******** *** ** ***** ** review **** ** ***** ****** (***** ******* ** *** ******* of ** * *****).

Undisclosed End User #1

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

*** ******* ** ** ***'* **** *** ***** * *** offender ****** * ******. (**** ****: ** *** ********** * visitor ********** ****** **** **** ** *** *****, *** ********** doesn't **** **** ******* ** * ***'* **** **** **** this **** ******. ************, **** ************** **** ************* **** *** type ** *****).

* ***** *** ******* **** **** ****** ***'* ***** *** most ************, ***. *** **** ** ************, *** ***.

John Honovich

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

******* - **** ******* ********** ****** ** ********* ****** *********** / ******** / *** ******** ***** ** ***** ********? * could *** *** *****, **** ***** *** *** ****** * picture ** *** ****** ***** ** ***** ** ***, *** quality ***** ** ******.

Undisclosed End User #1

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

*** ******* ********** ****** *'* **** ******** **** ******** **** ********.

*** *************, ** *****'* *** ****** ***********, ****** ************-***** *** end-user ********** *********. **** *****, **** ** ** *******, *** it ***** *** * ******** *****.

** **** **** **** ** **** ** ***** * ********* sticker-badge **** *** ***** **** **** **.

**** ****** ********* ***** * ***** ****-** ***** ** ******** for ******* ********. * ** ***.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

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

************* *** * *** ******** ********* ******* ***** ******** *** 50 ***** ********* ***** ** **. *** ** *****'* **** facial ***********, ******.

Avatar

Lynn Harold

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

* *** ***** ***, * *** ** ************** ** * private ****** **** *** **** ***** *** **** ** *** sex ******** ********. ** **** *** ******'* **** *** *** to ***** ******* *** ******** (** **** ******** ******'* ******** to ******** ********). * ******** *** * *** ** *** 1 - **** * *********** **** * ********** *** *** same **** *** *** ** ******* ** *** ********, *** was ******* *** *** **** ******.

John Honovich

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

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

**** * *********** **** * ********** *** *** **** **** and *** ** ******* ** *** ********

**** * ********* *** **** ******, *** ****** **** ******** but *** ******* **** ** ***** ****** ********* *** ***.

Slava H

3dEYE Inc. | 05/23/18 09:13pm

***** *** **** * ************* ******** ****. **** *******, ****** keep ** *** **** ****.

**** $* **** ** * ******* ****** - ***** **** Orlando ****** ******** **** ***** ** ***** *** ******** (***** is ***.**$ ******) *** ******* ****** (******) *** *********** *******.

John Honovich

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

*****, ******! *** $* ***** ***** **** **********, *** *******. I ** *** **** **** ******* *** *****.

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

*** ***** **** ***,*** ******. **** ****** **** * *** but, *** **********, ***** *** *** *** ****** ** ******* in * ***** (*.*., *,***,*** ******* ** * *****), ** even * ****** ****** **** ******* * ***** ***** ** seconds ***** ******** ****.

Slava H

3dEYE Inc. | In reply to John Honovich | 05/24/18 12:29am

** ****, *** *** *****.

***, ***$ ****** ***** ** ** *** ******** ******, ***** 3$ *** ******* ** **** *********** ***** ******* *** *.*$ for ** **** *********** ********** (***** *$ ******).

** * *** ******* *** **** ** ****** **** ***** about *$ ******* ******. * ***'* ***** ****** ****** *** use *** ***** ***** ****** ********.

*** ***, ** ******* ** ****** ****** *** **** ** process. ** ** **** ** ******* ***** **** ****** ** would **** **$ *** ****** *** ******** *** *.** *** regular *** ***** *********** *******. **** ** **** * ********** fees ** *********** *******.

*** ***** *** **** ****** ************ ******** ***** ** ** use **** **** ** ******/**** ********* ** ******** **** ********* processing. ****** ******* ** ******* ****** ***** **** ** ** processed **/* *******.

John Honovich

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

* ***'* **** ***** *** ********** ***** ******* *** * think *** $***.** ** *** *** **** ****** *** ********* the ******** ******* ********.

Slava H

3dEYE Inc. | 05/24/18 07:12pm

***, *** *** ***** ****.

***$ ****** ** *** ******* *** ******** ***** *** ***** is *.*$ *** **** ***** *** ********** ** *.**$ *** 1000 ****** *** ******* ***** ******.

Paul Shah

06/27/18 05:40pm

******* ****** *** **** ** ******'* ****-**** ****** '***********' ******

Undisclosed #2

06/27/18 11:58pm

***** ** ** ******** **** ** ** ** *** ******. AI ********** **** ****** *** ****** ** ****** *** *** guy **** *** ** **** ** ** ********.

**** ******** *** /******* ***.

* **** ***'* **** *** ** ***** *****!

Avatar

Sean Patton

IPVM | 07/12/18 06:44pm

******* ** ** ********* *** **** ** ****** '***********'

Michael Miller

07/26/18 09:56pm

******'* **** *********** ******* ******* ** ******* ** ******** **** Mugshots.

Undisclosed #3

12/14/18 09:16am

******:**** ******* ***** *********** ** *********** *** **** ***** ********* Amazon ******

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