Microsoft Calls On Governments To Set Regulations On Facial-Recognition Technology

Microsoft wants to have legislation requiring independent tests on facial-recognition technology to avoid unfair bias as well as to protect users’ right. Right now, the tech giant is putting more pressure so that governments will have such regulations from next year.

On Thursday, Brad Smith, chief counsel at Microsoft, predicted a darker future in just five years from now, services using face recognition will worsen our current societal problems. Then, we will face even more challenges in addressing these issues.

Brad Smith, Microsoft chief counsel

Smith advocated for letting humans review results of facial recognition instead of letting computers do all the work.

He pointed out that the current review may lead to decisions that pose physical or emotional harm to users, including fundamental rights like personal privacy or freedom.

Additionally, the companies using face recognition technology must keep in mind that they are obliged to follow laws that forbid discrimination against consumers, in groups or individuals.

Currently, the world is using facial recognition in daily tasks like tagging a friend on Facebook and unlocking phones, but privacy remains a question. Since AI has gained significant steps and cameras are getting better and better, it’s now easier to watch a person’s daily life than ever.

Furthermore, technology is also used in investigations, but that software has its own flaws. Earlier this year, the software that Metropolitan Police in the UK used proved failed to generate correct matches in 98 percent of total cases.

Sharing the same concern with Microsoft, ACLU revealed in May that Amazon’s Rekognition, the company’s facial technology, was sold to law enforcement agencies in America, the Police Department of Orlando was also a client. In July, ACLU tested Rekognition just to find that the system mistook 28 congressmen with criminals.

Microsoft’s chief counsel also warned that by combining facial technology with computing power and cloud storage, governments can violate freedoms and human rights.