Criticism of New Police CCTV Rules

Human rights groups criticised proposals to use live facial recognition group in Wales and England.

08:24 25 August 2021

Proposed updates to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice could allow police to use live facial recognition in Wales and England. 

 

The use of the system, which compares faces captured on CCTV with those on a watch-list, has been criticised by human rights groups. Former CCTV watchdog Tony Porter said that the plans were "bare bones" and offer "unclear guidance" as he joins calls to end the practice entirely. 

 

Liberty lawyer Megan Goulding, who worked on Mr Bridges's case, told BBC News: "One year since our case led the court to agree that this technology violates our rights and threatens our liberty, these guidelines fail to properly account for either the court's findings or the dangers created by this dystopian surveillance tool.

 

"Facial recognition will not make us safer, it will turn public spaces into open-air prisons and entrench patterns of discrimination that already oppress entire communities".

 

In a statement, the Home Office said:, "The Government is committed to empowering the police to use new technology to keep the public safe, whilst maintaining public trust, and we are currently consulting on the Surveillance Camera Code."

 

"In addition, College of Policing have consulted on new guidance for police use of LFR in accordance with the Court of Appeal judgment, which will also be reflected in the update to the code."