What privacy harms arise from the misuse of facial recognition technology?

By Aman Priyanshu

Facial recognition technology poses significant privacy risks due to its potential for misuse. One of the primary concerns is the lack of consent and control over the collection and use of individuals’ biometric data. When facial recognition is deployed without proper safeguards, it can lead to mass surveillance, tracking, and profiling of individuals without their knowledge or consent. This can result in the erosion of personal privacy, as individuals may be identified and monitored in public spaces without any awareness or ability to opt out. Moreover, there is a risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive biometric information, leading to identity theft and other forms of misuse. Additionally, the potential for algorithmic bias and inaccuracies in facial recognition systems can exacerbate privacy harms, particularly for marginalized communities who may be disproportionately impacted.

To put it simply, imagine if every time you walked down the street, a stranger could instantly know your name, address, and personal details without your permission. This is what happens when facial recognition technology is misused. It’s like someone taking a photo of you and then using it to track your every move without you even knowing. This not only invades your privacy but also puts you at risk of being targeted or discriminated against based on inaccurate or biased information.

Please note that the provided answer is a brief overview; for a comprehensive exploration of privacy, privacy-enhancing technologies, and privacy engineering, as well as the innovative contributions from our students at Carnegie Mellon’s Privacy Engineering program, we highly encourage you to delve into our in-depth articles available through our homepage at https://privacy-engineering-cmu.github.io/.

Author: My name is Aman Priyanshu, you can check out my website for more details or check out my other socials: LinkedIn and Twitter

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