It’s Time We Take Back the Right to Own Our Own face

Facial Recognition software is infringing upon our constitutional rights and it doesn’t seem like there is anyone or anything trying to stop it. No matter where one goes on a day to day basis, there is a big chance that they will be captured on a video camera, even if they are not doing anything wrong. “How China Turned a City Into a Prison” talks about how every move of the people in this city is viewed and tracked. There are even cameras in local shops showing people simply shopping for groceries.  Without anyone even knowing it, their faces are being scanned and profiles are being made for each and every person on a daily basis. These profiles are being made and used without us even knowing it. 

Claire Garvie states in her video that our faces are being captured on camera and can be matched up against existing faces already in the system to help aid police trying to find criminals. This is not fair to the people who are not in the wrong and I feel as if it is a violation of our constitutional right to privacy. The software that are being used are not entirely accurate too. We should not be subject to false accusations just because our doppelganger commited a crime that we knew nothing about. Along with our privacy, we should not be tracked and followed wherever we go. Though it may not seem like it, the cameras track our every move while we are walking down the road. 

Not only are we being tracked and followed while we are in public, but our photos that are posted online are being sold alongside our recognition profiles to people who are looking to test out their software. Yes, sold. Companies are making money off of pour faces and identities and many people have no idea that this is even going on. The website MegaFace has photos and profiles of people from all over the internet and is making their data available to whoever wants it. In no way, shape, or form should this be legal and an acceptable practice. These are not just adults we are talking about either, there are photos of children found on this site as well. Our faces belong to one person, and that is ourselves. It’s time that facial recognition softwares are to be stopped so we can go back to owning our own face.