Proactive Approach From White House, NIST Needed For Facial Recognition Technology, Report Says
Federal laws and regulations have not kept pace with advances in facial recognition technology, a fact that merits executive action and greater accountability from agencies, including the National Institute of standards and technology, according to a new report sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the federal government. Ministry of Justice. Recommend research.
A report from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released Wednesday said the country "lacks reliable guidelines, regulations, or laws to adequately address issues related to facial recognition," a technology whose use has recently been extended. . Years with the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence models that drive this technology.
The report's authors say the U.S. government and lawmakers need to be more proactive on legal and regulatory issues.
“It is important that governments prioritize these issues,” Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-chair of the committee that wrote the report, said in a statement. “If policies and regulations relating to the development and use of facial recognition technology are not promulgated or adopted, decision-making and regulation on this important matter of public interest will be left entirely to the industry and the market ." "
The report's authors, who conducted the research independently of DHS and FBI funders but were guided by questions from the NASIM agency, staff and board members, highlighted racial and inequitable flaws inherent in facial recognition technology that relies disproportionately on data from white people. . people.
With this in mind, the authors call on the president to issue an executive order establishing guidelines for federal agencies on the "appropriate use of facial recognition technology" that take into account "concerns for fairness and privacy privacy” and civil liberties. "
At the same time, the report said Congress should consider several legislative measures on facial recognition, including banning the storage of images and templates of faces; Mandatory training and certification of system operators and decision-makers, for example those working in law enforcement agencies; Pass a federal privacy law that addresses facial recognition technology or pass a federal privacy law that addresses privacy-invasive business practices; and address specific technology-related issues, such as surveillance and the potential for harassment and extortion.
“As technology becomes more widespread and affordable, the number of applications will continue to grow,” said Edward Felten, founding director of the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University and co-chair of the panel. “For example, it may only be a matter of time before stores routinely scan shoppers' faces as they enter to personalize the shopping experience and marketing, and perhaps more worryingly, people can use it to target others.”
From the federal government's perspective, the report's authors recommend that NIST take a more proactive role, calling on the agency to "maintain a robust program for testing and evaluating facial recognition technology to ensure continued improvement in accuracy and a reduction in demographic bias.” NIST's facial recognition technology review process has been called a "valuable tool," making the agency the "logical home" for facial recognition regulatory activity in government.
The authors also recommend that the federal government develop a risk management framework for agencies that considers the implications of facial recognition technology on "productivity, equity, privacy, civil liberties, and good governance." . NIST's Cybersecurity Framework and AI Risk Management Framework have been cited as positive examples of this approach, making the agency a natural choice to develop something similar to facial recognition technology.
At the same time, the report's authors call on DHS and the Department of Justice to "establish a multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder working group on facial recognition technology and periodically review standards for reasonable and fair use, as well as “other guidelines and requirements required by federal authorities.” Technology officer. "Use: State and local law enforcement agencies.
“As governments and other institutions take positive steps through laws and policies to ensure responsible use of [facial recognition technology], they must consider the views of government regulators, advocacy organizations civil society and affected communities to develop appropriate safeguards. The report says.