Ban Facial Recognition for Mass Surveillance
National Cabinet of Australia
Facial recognition technology has been deployed across Australia. Local governments, corporations large and small, federal and state government departments and law enforcement agencies have rolled out these mass surveillance systems, all without you getting a say or even noticing.
Numerous investigations have shown that the technology is dangerously inaccurate and is frequently misused by the many agencies that access it. Facial recognition technology frequently reports false positives on People of Colour. In at least one case, it has led to false accusation and imprisonment.
Some of the biggest tech companies in the world have recognised the danger of this technology. Google, Microsoft and IBM have either withdrawn their technologies from sale or ceased working on the technology altogether.
They've joined a chorus of social justice and human rights groups calling on governments to ban the use of facial recognition technology that enables mass surveillance, and to establish regulations and safeguards to protect people's privacy and guard against misuse of the technology.
We're asking the Australian Federal and State Governments to do the same.
Federal and state governments must engage with civil society, industry, other experts and the public to develop and implement a legal framework that protects privacy and prevents abuse.
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National Cabinet of Australia
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[Your Name]
Facial recognition technology has been deployed across the country, yet the Australian public has had little say as mass surveillance encroaches ever further on our community spaces.
Far from making communities safer, facial recognition technology is dangerously inaccurate, frequently reports false positives on People of Colour, and in at least one recent case, it has led to false accusation and imprisonment. This technology is both built on and exacerbates existing racist, sexist and classist biases within our law enforcement and judicial systems.
Google, Microsoft and IBM have recognised this danger, and have either withdrawn their products from sale or ceased working on the technology altogether.
They've joined a chorus of social justice and human rights groups calling on governments to ban the use of facial recognition technology that enables mass surveillance, and to establish regulations and safeguards to protect people's privacy and guard against misuse of the technology.
Some of the largest cities in the United States have taken this step, and it is under strong consideration at other levels of government in the US and elsewhere. We urge you to follow this example to put a ban the use of facial recognition technology for mass surveillance, and commit to developing and implementing a robust legal framework that protects privacy and prevents abuse of facial recognition technology.