The Future of Face Recognition: What Impact Does It Have on Smart Cities

Many relevant regulatory agencies around the world use facial recognition for applications such as identifying people on public video sources. Relevant law enforcement agencies also use this technology in internal databases for security prevention and identity verification purposes. In fact, the use of face recognition technology is increasing globally.

Facial Recognition System Providers have compiled the latest data on facial monitoring around the world and refined it into a map to show which areas are currently using facial recognition, which areas have been approved but have not yet implemented facial recognition, are considering this technology, and have already Areas where the use of facial recognition technology is prohibited.

According to statistics, 109 countries are currently or have approved the use of facial recognition technology for public safety purposes.

Facial Recognition

Belgium is the only country that has found Facial Recognition that violates national laws so far. Moscow uses facial recognition technology to monitor whether potential coronavirus carriers comply with its quarantine regulations.

Facial recognition technology has the ability to support a large number of applications that can protect the safety of smart cities, but as facial recognition technology becomes more and more complex, its abuse potential is also increasing. It is undeniable that current facial recognition has problems with accuracy, race and gender bias, and privacy issues have led to widespread opposition to the technology.

Have these disputes undermined the opportunity for face recognition to become a key solution for smart cities?

Despite recent controversies, it seems that facial recognition will not stop suddenly or permanently. This is mainly to ensure that the company uses the technology correctly and only for its intended purpose. Andy Thurai, an industry analyst at GigaOm, said: "This is a difficult choice-unless policies, governance and regulations are developed to manage it,"

In the short term, smart cities in some countries will be more affected than others. The United States and Europe are banning the use of facial recognition in law enforcement, which is very different in parts of Asia and the Middle East.

MBE Philip Ingram, a former colonel of the British Military Intelligence Agency, believes that the decision to stop using Facial Recognition Technology may affect the promotion of smart city technology in the United States for some time. However, he believes that it has little impact on a global scale. "There are many other providers of facial recognition applications and smart city functions. IBM and Amazon only limit their sales to the United States. It is worth noting that...other companies also have the ability to meet broader global needs through advanced technology."

Applied futurist Tom Cheesewright said that facial recognition problems in smart cities are difficult to predict because it covers many possible applications. “Networked video surveillance with facial recognition capabilities across the city poses a considerable threat to people’s privacy. However, for example, closed-loop facial recognition for access control can provide people with higher security and lower Conflict experience."

We need to wait and see what the relationship between smart cities and face recognition will be.