Ethical Considerations in Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition software is no longer just the fodder of movies like the Mission:Impossible franchise and Minority Report. Today, it’s used in a wide variety of workspaces, academic institutions, and even as authentication to unlock smartphones.

The technology has multiple benefits and can enhance your cybersecurity. However, as facial recognition capabilities evolve, ethical questions about the use of the technology arise. What are the tool’s benefits? What are the ethical concerns surrounding facial recognition?

Let’s take a look at how this cybersecurity tool works, its popular uses, and how you can learn to navigate through the ethics surrounding facial recognition technology.

What is facial recognition technology?

Facial recognition technology employs software that captures and recognizes your facial features in order to confirm your identity. It can identify people through still images, video, and in real life.

Although the widespread use of this tool is relatively recent, the concept of facial recognition began in the early 1960s, with research experiments run by computer scientist Woodrow W Bledsoe. Bledsoe hypothesized that programmed computers could recognize human facial features.

Alas, Bledsoe’s experiments weren’t successful, but they paved the way for the technology that exists today. Modern facial recognition is incorporated into biometric security measures used around the world. 

How facial recognition works

Facial recognition technology seems like magic, but the explanations for how it works are far more scientific. Computer-generated filters translate facial images into numerical language and make a side-by-side comparison between two or more images. 

If the image translations match, the facial recognition software confirms the identity. Although there is room for error, the margin is slim. AI “learning” allows the technology to constantly evolve and perfect itself.

Here’s a breakdown of the steps facial recognition takes: 

Face detection: 

The software will scan images for face detection, and then locate and identify human faces within the images or videos fed into the system. For example, your smartphone camera uses facial recognition to look for and focus on patterns that resemble faces, including features such as eyes, noses, and mouths.           

Feature extraction:

Once the software detects faces, it extracts unique features such as facial symmetry, and the shape of a nose to identify a specific person. Essentially, it works just as humans work to recognize others. 

For example, you can recognize your loved ones based on their specific, distinguishing features. If you ran into a friend or a family member in a new environment, you’d still be able to confirm their identities based on their physical features.

Creates a faceprint:

Facial recognition software then combines extracted features to create a unique  “faceprint” — a digital representation of a human’s face. In a perfect scenario, the faceprint works like a fingerprint or DNA… faceprints should ensure that the technology can’t misidentify anyone.   

Matches and recognizes:  

The system then checks the new faceprint against all identified faceprints stored in its database to ensure your identity. Facial recognition technology works like a bartender checking your ID, and compares your real-life features with the digital faceprint it has of you. 

If your face matches the stored faceprint, you gain entrance to the biometric security bar.

Common uses of facial recognition

Facial recognition technology influences the security measures of countless industries and is utilized for personal protection, too. Some of the most common uses of facial recognition software include:

Airport check-ins:

The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has begun the process of incorporating facial recognition software in major airport check-ins to help with passenger identification.

Border checks:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses biometric security precautions via cloud-based facial recognition technology. For example, when crossing the Canadian or Mexican border (both in entry and exit), a live camera matches each individual with official government images on file.

Hotel check-ins:

In order to confirm your check-in, or give you accessibility to your room, some hotels have begun utilizing facial recognition technology.

Law enforcement searches:

Law enforcement officials use facial recognition to search through massive databases and match suspects with photos in the system.

Mobile banking apps:

Large banks have begun to use facial recognition technology to enhance security and for digital identification of their customers.

Smartphone accessibility:

Facial recognition in smartphone cybersecurity began with the Android 4 way back in 2011. By using facial recognition as digital identification, you ensure that if your phone is lost or stolen, no one else can access its contents. 

The technology is also helpful in photo organization and can be used to protect some of your mobile apps as well.

Workplace accessibility:

Some workplaces and high security-level government agencies use facial recognition technology as a substitute for easy-to-copy keycards and key fobs.

The ethical issues of the technology 

When used for good, facial recognition can have numerous benefits. However, there are ethical questions raised by the technology, too. For instance, there are murky issues raised by how much access the government has to your personal and confidential data.

In 2021, Facebook settled a class action privacy lawsuit for $650 million after using biometric security data (including geotags and personal photos of over 1.6 million users) without consent. In 2019, hackers took a mere two minutes to break into Apple’s iPhone FaceID technology, raising questions about the trustworthy nature of its cybersecurity protection.

When the right regulations and security measures are in place, the tool can be used for good, but without regulation or thorough testing, it’s easy for corporate entities and hackers to jump over ethical boundaries.

Some of the ethical and cybersecurity issues raised by facial recognition include:

• Accuracy
• Consent
• Cyber attacks
• Data breaches
• Discrimination
• Identity theft
• Mass surveillance
• Misuse
• Personal privacy
• Racial profiling
• Reliability
• Transparency

How to protect against questionable uses of facial recognition

So how can you navigate the ethics of facial recognition technology and protect your cybersecurity and yourself against its misuse? Although individually, we have little control over the use of this tool, there are some solutions to help prevent the ethical issues facial recognition can present.

Here are some of the ways to keep facial recognition from misuse: 

Closely read terms of use:

If a company or website isn’t transparent in their facial recognition policies, it’s wise to avoid using this technology

Informed, written consent:

If you discover an entity is using facial recognition as your digital signature without your written consent, you may want to close any accounts associated with them

Access to your facial recognition:

You should have the ability to change the photos used for facial recognition, and should be able to opt out of the tool if you choose to do so

Accountability:

There must be a clear indication of any use of facial recognition for data collection, use, and cross-sharing by companies and websites that utilize the technology

Strategic security:

Again, in keeping with transparency, any entity using facial recognition technology should ensure that they communicate the measures employed to keep the biometric tool (and your data) safe

When used correctly, facial recognition technology can keep us safe. However, the ethics of the biometric security measure need to be addressed to keep data breaches, racial profiling, hackers, and other issues at bay.

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