Ethical issues explain the right and wrongs of a particular topic or subject, especially technology. In this case, it is the ethical issue concerning Facial recognition technology (FRT).

With the widespread use of facial recognition technology, people may now use their faces as a means of digital identification to unlock their devices and to do other things. Facial recognition basically involves taking a picture of a person, analyzing it, mapping out the characteristics, and comparing it to known likenesses to determine the identity of the character in the picture. Facial recognition technology has several advantages in a variety of industries, including greater security and convenience as well as increased productivity and tailored experiences. Organizations may enhance their overall security measures, expedite procedures, and provide clients individualized experiences by taking use of the possibilities of face recognition technologies.

On the other hand, due to the widespread use of face recognition technology, a number of ethical issues need to be resolved.

While it is fascinating to give machines the very human capacity to recognize someone by taking a cursory look at their face, it is not without serious ethical problems. This is a concern because Currently, there are no widely used or accepted regulations governing facial recognition.

The ethical issues of FRT are summarized thus;

1. Lack of Privacy, Transparency and Consent

Concerns about face recognition’s privacy are related to data storage methods that might disclose facial recognition information and other possible security risks. Due to security flaws and a shortage of IT security specialists to assure network security, the majority of enterprises still maintain their face data on local servers. 

Maximum data security can be provided by facial recognition technology when stored in the cloud. Data integrity, however, can only be secured with the right encryption. IT cybersecurity specialists must be deployed to ensure proper data storage, while also giving consumers authority to boost accountability and stop harmful traffic.

Using face recognition technology to covertly monitor, scan, and track persons for the sake of public security and safety. Numerous demonstrations have been held in response to this, demanding stronger laws that would provide individuals greater control over involvement and transparency in matters of storage and governance. Although you may have access to security cameras or video feeds of workers, clients, or the general public, it doesn’t imply it’s a smart idea to utilize such information without first notifying the concerned parties.

A person’s face may be used to identify them, which increases the possibility of access to a wide range of additional data and raises ethical questions. 

2. Data Breach

This has been one of the ethical concerns concerning FRT. The problem is that every data is susceptible to breach and hacking. This means that anybody who manages to hack the data centers for this facial recognition technology can have unrestricted access to it. 

For example, Hackers bypassed Apple’s iPhone FaceID user verification in under 120 seconds at the yearly Black Hat hacking conference held in Las Vegas by security researchers.

Such occurrences make the stored data more susceptible to hacking, which ultimately raises the possibility of Face ID theft in major crimes. The legal alternatives available to victims of face theft are quite limited.

3. Inaccuracy and Bias

The existence of racial prejudice in the algorithms is a frequently voiced ethical problem with face recognition technology. This fear, however, is a reflection of a deeper anxiety about the general accuracy of face recognition systems. Demographic classification algorithms that try to utilize a face to predict attributes like ethnicity, gender, and age are frequently cited as the source of alleged proof of bias. Darker-skinned women were misclassified more often than any other category, according to an MIT research some time ago. 

The age of a photo compared to a person’s face and the difficulty in distinguishing between identical twins or doppelgängers are just a few of the variables that might distort algorithms. If you’re trying to identify favorite customers, this might not seem like a big deal, but when it is use D for law enforcement, it is a serious problem. For example, Anderson Williams was wrongly arrested in 2020 due to the Detroit Police Department’s facial recognition software inaccurately identifying him as having stolen $3,800 worth of watches. 

4. Legality 

There is no outright law guiding the usage of facial recognition technology. As a result, it is up to the state governments to decide what uses of face recognition are permitted and prohibited. Some people decide to stay out of it, while others decide to fully embrace face recognition, including its application in police enforcement and surveillance.

5. Who has access? 

This is another burning concern. The complexity around the process of determining who has acres to facial recognition technology is mind bugging. How are we to determine that facial recognition technology should only be left in the hands of law enforcement and the government or it should be meant for the citizens or both? 

6. Mass Surveillance 

The use of face recognition in conjunction with pervasive cameras and data analytics results in mass surveillance that may jeopardize the rights to liberty and privacy of individuals. While face recognition technology aids law enforcement by locating criminals, it also jeopardizes the basic privacy rights of common people and innocent bystanders.

Benefits of Facial Recognition technology

Although FRT raises some ethical concerns, it is not without its advantages.

• The use of face recognition for protected environment like buildings is expanding quickly. Facial recognition is speedier and less susceptible to fraud and ID theft than traditional ID badges or passes. It removes the hassle, security hazards, and added workload brought on by misplaced, forgotten, or stolen credentials. 
• For consumers and residents, facial recognition technology can facilitate reliable and convenient mobile, online, and remote onboarding processes. 
• Police checks or the creation of criminal clues may use facial recognition technology. The public’s usage of the technology has advantages beyond only locating and following criminals, suspects, and people of interest.
• Face recognition, for instance, may be used to locate lost or exploited youngsters as well as helpless or lost adults.
  

Technology is not without ups and downs, and just like any other technology, Facial Recognition does too. In the nearest Future, FRT will become the main stay for identification and authentication in the tech industry.