Students Launch Campaign to Fight the Use of Facial Recognition Technology on Campus
“This type of invasive technology poses a profound threat to our basic liberties”
There is something a little too ‘Big Brother’ about this technology, isn’t there?
Campus Reform reports:
Students nationwide fight to ‘Ban Facial Recognition’ technology on campus
Students for Sensible Drug Policy and Fight for the Future, a nonprofit advocacy group in the area of digital rights, are working together to launch a campaign against colleges using biometric surveillance, also known as facial recognition.
According to EdScoop, the University of San Francisco implemented some of this technology in its dormitories in 2013 making the campus one of the pioneers in biometric surveillance in higher education. Although not yet commonplace, many facial recognition technology companies have their sights set on schools. CNET reported that at least two more California campuses have implemented facial recognition technology: Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
But privacy advocates are now speaking out against the use of this technology, particularly on college campuses.
“This type of invasive technology poses a profound threat to our basic liberties, civil rights, and academic freedom, schools that are already using this technology are conducting unethical experiments on their students. Students and staff have a right to know if their administrations are planning to implement biometric surveillance on campus,” said Deputy Director of Fight for the Future Evan Greer.
Greer is part of a nationwide campaign called Ban Facial Recognition, encouraging individuals to take a stand.
“Students, faculty, alumni, and community members are signing petitions calling for a complete ban on the non-personal use of facial recognition on their campus,” Fight for the Future said, adding that “student groups are organizing to introduce student government resolutions to ban facial recognition.”
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
These students (and cities) can ban facial recognition all they want, but as long as the cameras are up, it can still be used without their knowing. Besides, as long as the video records are conserved, anyone can run a facial recognition program on them any time they like.