Facial recognition is one of the most advanced technological milestones achieved as of yet. Facial recognition system suppliers use a system that makes use of biometrics from a photograph or video, thus, using facial features to lock and unlock. It matches the audience’s face with its database of known and enrolled faces. This technology has grown substantially from $4B in 2017 to $6B in 2019, and forecasts still say that it is expected to grow off its limits. It is currently utilized in all commercial applications, ranging from surveillance to marketing, respectively. There has been a range of myths regarding facial recognition, such as it is promoting racial bias, or damaging the security, and likewise. Let us spare a minute and compare all these myths with facts.
Myths versus Facts
Myth: The use of this technology in the States is getting out of control. There are no safety or limitations to this technology
Corresponding fact: The facial recognition technology is not rule-free. It is not operating in an uncontrollable environment. It has been subjected to an existing framework of regulations and administrative rules backed up with an appropriate set of laws. The regulating practices for facial recognition address many public and liberty concerns.
Myth: Facial recognition error can lead to law enforcement misidentification
Corresponding fact: If a person’s facial features are not enrolled in the database, this technology will not give any result, and there would be no match determination. Facial recognition never identifies a person as someone else. It would instead choose to provide zero matches than to misidentify.
Myth: It promotes racial bias
Corresponding fact: Facial recognition technology was found to have difficulty while trying to recognize ethnic variations. It was a performance error regarding statistical inconsistency, not bias.
Corresponding fact: Human attention has been proven to be less effective as compared to digital recognition. It was found that computers are more efficient and produce more effective results.
Myth: Facial recognition regulation at airports is illegal
Corresponding fact: The legal action regarding this has already been passed by national congress, and in lieu of protection and security, facial recognition is conducted in a regulated, transparent, and well-defined process.
Myth: If your face print is stolen, hackers can regulate your whereabouts
Corresponding fact: The engineered process cannot be reversed; thus, no one can access your location even if your facial impression is stolen.