Policing minister Sarah Jones has announced that the Labour government will consult on the use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology before expanding its deployment across England. Speaking at a Tony Blair Institute fringe meeting during the party's annual conference in Liverpool, Jones stated that the government intends to 'put some parameters' around when and where the technology can be used.
Jones, the MP for Croydon West, acknowledged that LFR has been effective in catching criminals in her south London constituency, a point often highlighted by shadow home secretary Chris Philp, who represents the neighbouring Croydon Central. However, she emphasised the need for a clearer legal framework, noting that currently 'there isn't really much of a structure around what it's used for'.
The announcement comes amid ongoing concerns from campaigners and civil liberties groups about the technology's potential for racial and gender bias. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has deemed its use unlawful and incompatible with European laws. A high court challenge was launched last month by Shaun Thompson, a Black British anti-knife campaigner who was wrongly identified by LFR as a criminal and detained by police.
Jones defended the technology's accuracy, stating that it has 'improved over the years' and is now 'broadly accurate'. She added that LFR has been used to catch 'hundreds of dangerous criminals', but stressed the importance of ensuring it is used correctly. The consultation aims to address public and parliamentary concerns about how the technology will be deployed in the future.
