Facial Recognition Technology Echoes 19th-Century Rogues' Galleries in Privacy Debate
By
Matthew Guariglia
A baker's-dozen of insight crammed into one ring.
Summary
The article draws a historical parallel between the 19th-century rogues' galleries (mugshot collections used by police) and modern facial recognition technology. It argues that the core problem with facial recognition isn't just misidentification—it's that the technology fundamentally represents a lack of trust by the government in its citizens. The piece explores the growing movement to ban government use of facial recognition, citing cities that have already done so, and frames the debate around privacy, suspicion, and civil liberties through a historical lens.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe problem with facial recognition technology isn't just that you could be mistaken for a suspect—it's that it means your government doesn't trust you.
Fueled by explosive reporting, foreign totalitarian regimes, and a lifetime of dystopian sci-fi, the movement to ban the government's use of face recognition technology is growing.
The 21st-century debate over privacy and suspicion looks a lot like one from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
You might also wanna read
Facial Recognition in Supermarkets Raises Concerns About Customer Profiling and Dynamic Pricing
The article discusses emerging concerns about facial recognition technology being deployed in supermarkets, where it could potentially be us
politico.com·2mo agoI built a facial recognition PoC on consumer AR glasses. The friction protecting our privacy is gone.
Juggalo Face Makeup Found to Disrupt Facial Recognition Technology
The article reveals that Juggalos (fans of Insane Clown Posse) have unintentionally discovered a way to defeat facial recognition technology
consequence.net·2mo ago
Massive Attack Uses Live Facial Recognition on Concertgoers for Surveillance Art Installation
Massive Attack, the Bristol band, used live facial recognition technology during their concert to capture and analyze attendees' faces in re
gadgetreview.com·8mo ago
ICE Accelerates Immigrant Arrests Using Facial-Recognition Technology
The article reports on ICE's use of facial-recognition technology to expedite arrests of immigrants suspected of being in the country illega
wsj.com·5mo ago
Meta Plans Facial Recognition for Smart Glasses During Political Distractions
Meta plans to introduce facial recognition technology to its smart glasses, strategically timing the launch to coincide with periods when pr
The Verge·3mo ago