Microsoft Halts Sales of Facial Recognition Tech

Microsoft has joined IBM and Amazon to limit US police use of facial recognition technology, which critics claim is racially biased.

Human rights charity Amnesty International is calling for a ban on the use of this technology for purposes of mass surveillance by police. Microsoft has now announced that it won't start sales to US police departments until the country approves national regulation of the technology, grounded in human rights. Company President Brad Smith (pictured) says that Microsoft has already taken a 'principled stand' on the use of the tech.

Amazon and IBM made similar announcements, after the death of George Floyd sparked protests over police brutality and racial discrimination. Matt Cagle, attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) commented on Microsoft's announcement: 'Congress and legislatures nationwide must swiftly stop law enforcement use of face recognition, and companies like Microsoft should work with the civil rights community - not against it - to make that happen. We urge these companies to work to forever shut the door on America's sordid chapter of over-policing of black and brown communities, including the surveillance technologies that disproportionately harm them'.

Last year, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) opened an investigation into the use of facial recognition technology installed in CCTV cameras by the developer of Granary Square, close to King's Cross railway station. More recently in the US, ACLU sued facial recognition start-up Clearview AI, whose surveillance activities are described by the non-profit as a 'threat to privacy, safety, and security'.

Web site: www.microsoft.com .