Ex-Commissioner For Facial Recognition Tech Joins Facewatch Firm He Approved (theguardian.com) 12
The recently-departed watchdog in charge of monitoring facial recognition technology in UK has joined the private firm he controversially approved, paving the way for the mass roll-out of biometric surveillance cameras in high streets across the country. From a report: In a move critics have dubbed an "outrageous conflict of interest," Professor Fraser Sampson, former biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner, has joined Facewatch as a non-executive director. Sampson left his watchdog role on 31 October, with Companies House records showing he was registered as a company director at Facewatch the following day, 1 November.
Campaigners claim this might mean he was negotiating his Facewatch contract while in post, and have urged the advisory committee on business appointments to investigate if it may have "compromised his work in public office." It is understood that the committee is currently considering the issue. Facewatch uses biometric cameras to check faces against a watch list and, despite widespread concern over the technology, has received backing from the Home Office, and has already been introduced in hundreds of high-street shops and supermarkets.
Campaigners claim this might mean he was negotiating his Facewatch contract while in post, and have urged the advisory committee on business appointments to investigate if it may have "compromised his work in public office." It is understood that the committee is currently considering the issue. Facewatch uses biometric cameras to check faces against a watch list and, despite widespread concern over the technology, has received backing from the Home Office, and has already been introduced in hundreds of high-street shops and supermarkets.
Doesn't Matter (Score:1)
Cameras can't see though paint delivered via paintballs. Just saying...
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
Cameras taken out by a bullet also don't work too well.
Re: (Score:1)
Yeah, but paintballs are less noisy and less likely to cause any accidental permanent damage to anything else.
Re: (Score:2)
True, but they can't be fired from far enough away that another cam won't spot you doing it. With a halfway decent scoped rifle, that chance is much lower.
Pure coincidence (Score:2)
I'm absolutely certain.
UK corruption laws? (Score:2)
Does the UK have any laws regarding this sort of blatant double dealing corruption?
Not my country, I dunno, honest question.
Re:UK corruption laws? (Score:4, Funny)
Does the UK have any laws regarding this sort of blatant double dealing corruption?
Not my country, I dunno, honest question.
This is just someone in the UK looking at US regulators and going, "Hey! Why didn't we think of that?"
The UK enthusiasm for (Score:3)
The UK enthusiasm for ubiquitous facial recognition
surveillance cameras boggles the mind. Sure, it's
saving the children - even as we speak - but at such a
cost!
I spent some time in London this summer, but won't be
going back, thanks very much.
that is business as usual in the USA (Score:2)
Non executive (Score:5, Insightful)
Non executive directors are recruited for the influence they have through their business connections, or as a way to pay for a favour previously given.