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20 October 2017 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 7766 / Categories: Features , Human rights
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Biometrics: in the public interest?

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In a special NLJ report, Michael Zander reflects on public concern about the use & governance of facial images
  • Aspects of biometrics: proportionality, privacy, public interest.

Concern about police use of facial images is highlighted by Professor Paul Wiles in the Biometric Commissioner’s Annual Report for 2016-17: ‘Facial images are a powerful new biometric but the acceptance by the public of their use for crime control purposes may depend on the extent to which the governance arrangements provide assurance that their use will be in the public interest and intrusion into individual privacy is controlled and proportionate.’ (para 305)

The Report says that in July 2016 there were 19 million facial images on the Police National Computer (PND), over 16 million of which were searchable using facial recognition software. In addition, the Metropolitan Police had their own extensive collection, so 19 million was an underestimate of the numbers held. It was not known how many related to persons who had not been convicted.

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