I used to think using facial recognition at our local library was a good idea for security.

I voted for the system last year, thinking it would help prevent theft. After reading a report from the ACLU about how these systems misidentify people of color at a rate of nearly 35%, I changed my vote at the town meeting. Has your community dealt with a similar tech proposal?

4 comments

4 Comments

wilson.joseph2mo ago

Yeah, my buddy got flagged by one at a concert and missed half the show. Total mess.

the_simon2mo ago

Ever get that feeling you voted for something before really knowing how it works? I did that with a red light camera in my town. Thought it would stop speeders, but it just gave tickets to people making safe right turns. Felt like a real dummy when I found out. Makes me wonder if these facial recognition systems are the same kind of thing, where the idea sounds good until you see the messy details.

the_lisa1mo ago

Always ask for a real-world test period before any final vote.

jade5172mo ago

Actually saw the ACLU report too, but our library's system has worked pretty well. The key seems to be using better cameras and updating the software often. It stopped a few break-ins last winter without any wrong IDs that I heard about. Maybe the problem is with cheap systems, not the idea itself.