Amazon permanently blocks police from using Rekognition
IDSC "BlackTechLogy": Facial recognition software's problematic results are both helpful and harmful
This post is part of a series entitled “BlackTechLogy.” Click here for the archived posts.
The problems with facial recognition are well-known, problematic and taking far too long to resolve. But law enforcement still continues to use it, knowing full well that it may match people of color with mugshots of strangers. While Facebook’s Casual Conversation works to diversify facial recognition software by using more paid users of varying skin tones—broken down into six categories—that platform is still a ways away from completion. Meanwhile, Amazon stopped providing its facial recognition software Rekognition to police. Amazon initially confirmed it was for a year’s time (in 2020); CNN reports that it is now indefinite.
Recommended Read: “What Facebook's Casual Conversation doesn't fix ~ IDSC ‘BlackTechLogy’: Artificial intelligence results have to stop matching to mugshots”
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases with my referral links. I know some consumers are choosing to boycott Amazon for its DEI removal. However, after thinking about this thoroughly, I choose to continue promoting intriguing products from small businesses, women-owned businesses and (specifically) Black-owned businesses who still feature their items on Amazon. All five of my Substack publications now include a MINIMUM of one product sold by a Black-owned business. (I have visited the seller’s official site, not just the Amazon Black-owned logo, to verify this.) If you still choose to boycott, I 100% respect that decision.
When it was pulled away from police officers, the software was still available for Thorn, the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Marinus Analytics to help rescue human trafficking victims. The facial recognition software could also continue to reunite missing children with their families.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a percentage for each purchase with my referral links.
But if people like Hoan Ton-That of startup Clearview AI had his way, facial recognition software probably wouldn’t get as much slack. He’s reportedly collected more than 3 billion photos from the Internet, including random users on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Recommended Read: “Social media photos: Understand fair use rights ~ IDSC ‘BlackTechLogy’: Can your social media post be shared for commercial use? It depends”