Stop the Met Police using facial recognition surveillance

The Metropolitan Police has started using live facial recognition cameras across London. This surveillance technology turns us into walking ID cards and treats members of the public like suspects in a high-tech police line up. These cameras are a threat to our privacy and freedoms – and they need to be stopped.

The Met’s own stats show live facial recognition to be over 80% inaccurate and more likely to misidentify innocent people of colour as potential suspects. A court even found that police had been using this technology unlawfully.

This Orwellian technology is used to oppress people in China and Russia. The Met would be the largest police force in the democratic world to roll out this dangerously authoritarian surveillance. This is an enormous expansion of the surveillance state and a serious threat to civil liberties in the UK.

The Home Secretary and Met Commissioner must stop using live facial recognition now.