Following ongoing engagement with its global membership, the Biometrics Institute has released a new paper, Members’ Viewpoints: The Use of Facial Recognition in Policing. This paper explores the complex issues surrounding the use of facial recognition technology (FRT), particularly live facial recognition (LFR), by law enforcement. This paper follows previous work by the Institute, including the 2021 publication Should We Ban Facial Recognition? and reflects the continuing evolution of member perspectives on this critical topic.

The paper comes at a crucial time. In late 2024, the UK Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire initiated a programme of engagement regarding the use of LFR by police, highlighting the need for public confidence in the technology’s application in the absence of specific legislation. Currently, LFR use in the UK is governed by College of Policing guidance and existing data and privacy laws. The Biometrics Institute participated in this debate and gathered viewpoints from its diverse membership on the issue, culminating in this paper.

“Private sector usage of facial recognition influences public perception. It should match the same standards and policies as police and law enforcement use, as citizens will see the two use cases in the same light.” Biometrics Institute members.

Bridging the gap: Understanding the complexities of facial recognition in policing

The paper emphasises the Biometrics Institute’s commitment to the responsible and ethical use of biometrics. It acknowledges the complexities of FRT, recognising that different use cases present varying levels of risk that necessitate careful assessment, planning, and management. The paper also underscores the importance of transparency, informed decision-making, and clear communication in building and maintaining public trust in FRT. Missteps, even those occurring in other countries, can erode public trust in these systems globally.

Why this paper is important:

This paper offers valuable insights into the complex landscape of facial recognition in policing and should be of significant interest to policymakers, law enforcement agencies, technology developers, and the public. It underscores the need for ongoing dialogue and collaboration to ensure that this powerful technology is used responsibly and ethically and addresses several key areas regarding the use of facial recognition in policing:

• Responsible use: The paper stresses that using biometrics responsibly requires informed decision-making, communication, education, and transparency to maintain public trust.
• Addressing misinformation: The paper acknowledges the presence of confusion and misinformation surrounding FRT, often through media coverage and some minority voices. It emphasises the need for balanced discussions.
• Differentiating use cases: The paper highlights the importance of differentiating between various facial recognition use cases, as they present different levels of risk. Specifically, it distinguishes between ‘retrospective/post-event (criminal) investigations’ and ‘real-time (live) facial recognition’ (LFR).
• Standards for retrospective investigations: The paper suggests that retrospective investigations using facial recognition should adhere to the same standards and processes as DNA analysis, including robust quality management procedures (ISO/IEC 17025:2017), to assure public confidence.
• Concerns about LFR: The paper acknowledges public concerns about LFR, recognising that it can feel like a continuous police line-up. While acknowledging that manual policing surveillance exists, it recognises that technology creates different fears. It states that LFR should be considered indicative and should only prompt the question of whether to stop an individual, with reassurances about data deletion being crucial. Independent testing throughout the system’s lifecycle is also critical.
• Private sector influence: The paper notes that private sector use of facial recognition influences public perception and suggests that private sector standards and policies should align with those used by police and law enforcement.
• Citizen-provided images: The question of citizens using their own facial recognition and providing images to the police comes into question
• Consistency: The paper emphasises the need for a consistent approach to FRT use, implemented through well-constructed policy and process.
• The Three Laws of Biometrics: The paper reiterates the importance of the Three Laws of Biometrics: Policy first, followed by process, and then technology. It emphasises the necessity of safeguards (processes) to manage potential issues, even with robust policies and technology testing.
• Role of Biometrics Commissioner: The paper highlights the positive reception of the UK Biometrics Commissioner’s role within the global biometrics community. It emphasises that independent oversight, guardrails, and enforcement are critical for responsible, ethical, and effective biometrics implementation.

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Following a year of engaging with members and other experts across the global biometrics community, the Biometrics Institute has released a new paper, Members’ Viewpoints: The Relationship Between Biometrics and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The paper is a culmination of input gathered throughout 2024, exploring the intricate connection between two rapidly evolving technologies, AI and biometrics.

“Rarely has the biometrics community disagreed on an issue at this level before,” says Isabelle Moeller, CEO of the Biometrics Institute. “This paper reflects the conflicting perspectives of our global community on an evolving topic that is critical technology for biometric success. Understanding the relationship between biometrics and AI is essential for responsible innovation and the development of ethical guidelines for their use.”

Bridging the gap: Defining biometrics and AI

Defining biometrics and artificial intelligence (AI) presents significant challenges. While ISO definitions for both biometrics and AI exist, other important but sometimes non-aligned definitions are prevalent in the public domain. The Biometrics Institute offers its own perspective to address this, and the paper resulted in a new entry for “Artificial Intelligence” in the Institute’s Explanatory Dictionary of Biometrics, providing a resource that reflects these various viewpoints for the benefit of members, policymakers, and the general public.

Why this paper is important:

• The paper highlights significant disparities in member opinions regarding the relationship between biometrics and AI. Some members argue that biometrics are inherently intertwined with AI, while others emphasise that many biometric applications exist independently.
• It outlines the findings in detail and should be extremely valuable to those who shape policy and regulation around biometrics and around AI.

The paper’s key findings provide many more insights into the definitions of biometrics & AI, the impact and influence of AI on biometric processes, the relationship between biometrics and AI and regulatory oversight of biometrics and AI.

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The Institute’s Future Direction Group has identified six significant themes to watch which the report outlines in more detail.

State of Biometrics Report 2024

This year’s State of Biometrics Report dives deep into emerging trends, challenges, and predictions shaping biometric technology and calls out important considerations to be better prepared for the future. With a strong focus on responsible use, and the need to put people first to build public trust in biometrics.

The 2024 report covers the following:

1. To AI or not to AI? –  AI is the flavour of the year – marketing bylines for many products today overwhelmingly include the term “AI” somewhere, until it’s become something of a misnomer prefix  like “Smart” … but many AI monikers (labels) are attached to solutions that are not actually using these advanced pattern recognition and learning systems.

2. Is AI outsmarting us? – One size does not fit all with AI – nor does one set of legislation. What is an AI threat to how people live versus an AI tool to make their lives better?

3. How we use, or do not use face – Facing up to what is, and isn’t biometric technology. – biometrics for identify verification (1:1) or identification (1:many) are becoming ever more common as part of various multi-factor authentication systems, including digital forms of national IDs and passports, with associated concerns about security and privacy as well as possible misuse by police. However, other uses related to physiological measures are also gaining acceptance and need to be assessed based on their own risks, both as to technological validity, and social implications for policy concerns.

4. Next generation privacy – Balancing innovation and rights – increased collection and sharing of personal information for convenience and customer tracking combined with cyber threats, surveillance and the use of AI have undermined our privacy frameworks.

5. Identity sprawl – How many digital identities do we need? How much information do people have about you, and how did they get it? National identity, travel identity, customer identity, financial identity, online identity, patient identity, social identity, ancestral identity all pose risks of bad actors making links across your data that is out there, if it’s not secure and under your control.

6. DNA, the next frontier – People want to do it smarter, better, faster– with the advent of Rapid DNA devices, users collect and process DNA samples much more swiftly without the need for a DNA laboratory or human intervention. Rapid DNA analysis delivers fast familial verifications and arrestee enrolment, enabling users to combat child trafficking, restore children to their biological parents, determine identity of human remains in mass casualties, and solve crimes. However, there are significant risks to manage.

Please note: This document is strictly for Biometrics Institute member use only. Reproduction is limited to a single hard copy for internal use. Electronic access is restricted to one system at a time, and the document must not be transferred, shared, or uploaded to any network, either internally or externally.

A PowerPoint version of this content is available to members on request.

© Copyright 2024 Biometrics Institute.  All Rights Reserved.

State of Biometrics Report 2023 here

State of Biometrics Report 2022 here

State of Biometrics Report 2021 here

State of Biometrics Report 2020 here 

State of Biometrics Report 2019 here

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This report, released annually, explores the trends, issues and challenges facing the industry and defines priority themes which the Institute will monitor on an ongoing basis and discuss with members at its various events.

How do members benefit?

Members keep up to date with a round-up of the hottest topics affecting the biometrics industry right now and some predictions on how these may develop over the coming year.

Who updates it?

The Institute’s Future Direction Group (FDG) help develop this report each year. The first report was published in 2019.

How to access the document

Members: Click here for the latest report.
Non-members: Discover more here.

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The Institute’s Future Direction Group has identified four significant topics to watch which the report outlines in more detail.

State of Biometrics Report 2023

This year’s State of Biometrics Report addresses important trends that are likely to impact on how we use biometric technology responsibly and maintain citizens’ trust in the benefits they deliver.

The 2023 report covers the following four topics:

1. Biometrics, cyber security and privacy – The good, the brazen or the breached?
2. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) – Friend or foe?
3. Explainability and trustworthiness – The less you know, the more you believe
4. Maturity of digital identity – A need to cooperate and interoperate

Please note: This document is strictly for Biometrics Institute member use only. Reproduction is limited to a single hard copy for internal use. Electronic access is restricted to one system at a time, and the document must not be transferred, shared, or uploaded to any network, either internally or externally.

© Copyright 2023 Biometrics Institute.  All Rights Reserved.

State of Biometrics Report 2022 here

State of Biometrics Report 2021 here

State of Biometrics Report 2020 here 

State of Biometrics Report 2019 here

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The Institute’s Future Direction Group has identified four significant topics to watch which the report outlines in more detail.

State of Biometrics Report 2022

This year’s State of Biometrics Report comes at a time when technology and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities continue to advance rapidly and new use cases for biometrics evolve and expand as a result. More than ever before, our campaign for the responsible, ethical and effective use of these technologies is of the utmost importance.

The 2022 report covers the following four topics:

1. Biometrics and conflict including propaganda, deepfakes and drones in the ongoing battle for responsible use
2. Biometrics and access to services focusing on the value of digitisation, mobile capabilities and remote enrolment
3. Education: face facts, not fiction considering media reporting to informed consent and what learning resources are now required
4. Playing catch up from lessons learned to how we enable future responsible use.

Please note: This document is strictly for Biometrics Institute member use only. Reproduction is limited to a single hard copy for internal use. Electronic access is restricted to one system at a time, and the document must not be transferred, shared, or uploaded to any network, either internally or externally.

© Copyright 2022 Biometrics Institute.  All Rights Reserved.

State of Biometrics Report 2021 here

State of Biometrics Report 2020 here 

State of Biometrics Report 2019 here

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The Biometrics Institute has put together a list of top 10 takeaways from the very detailed National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) Part 3: Demographic Effects Report, published in December 2019. The first page comprises our key takeaways while the subsequent pages give more detail on each of these points and references them to the original NIST report.

How do members benefit?

The list of takeaways is intended to help members working with facial recognition technologies to better understand the algorithm they are working with so they can make informed decisions and improve future performance.

Who updates it?

This resource was compiled with the help of the Institute’s Future Direction Group (FDG).

How to access the document

Members: Click here.
Non-members: Find out about becoming a member here.

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With Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics as our inspiration, the Biometrics Institute has devised the Three Laws of Biometrics to prompt people using biometrics to remember the fundamentals of applying the technology responsibly and ethically.

Developed in 2020, the laws went through a rigorous process of review by the Institute’s Future Direction Group, other expert committees, and Board of Directors.

We want our members to ask with every application, ‘Just because we can, should we?’ – thoroughly assessing each use case and the impact on its users. We are calling on the biometrics community to ensure the technology continues to serve us responsibly and ethically, not exploit us. 

The Three Laws of Biometrics

1. POLICY – comes first: Any use of biometrics is proportionate, with basic human rights, ethics and privacy at its heart.
   
   
2. PROCESS – follows policy: Safeguards are in place to ensure decisions are rigorously reviewed, operations are fair and operators are accountable.
   
   
3. TECHNOLOGY – guided by policy and process: Know your algorithm, biometric system, data quality and operating environment and mitigate vulnerabilities, limitations and risks.   
   
   

How do members benefit?

The laws – or the PPT of biometrics – should be used to guide members in their implementations, and crucially in the order in which tasks should be carried out. Policy first, then process and only when robust review of those initial steps has taken place should the requisite technology be appropriately explored.

Who updates it?

The Institute’s Future Direction Group (FDG) review the laws regularly.

How to access it?

We encourage you to use the Three Laws of Biometrics, but please note they need to be referenced to the Biometrics Institute.

© Copyright 2020 Biometrics Institute.  All Rights Reserved.

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The Institute’s Future Direction Group has identified five significant topics to watch which the report outlines in more detail.

State of Biometrics Report 2021

This year’s State of Biometrics Report comes at a time of flux. Many businesses are opening up, new opportunities are appearing, big changes are happening all around us, and some big challenges still remain.

The 2021 report covers the following five topics:

1. COVID-19 recovery, focusing on borders and travel, and verification for large events
2. Digital identity, covering national identity frameworks, interoperability and re-use, self-sovereign digital identities, and ramifications in the real world
3. Governance, which includes legislation, public perception and ethics, standards and testing, and accessibility and inclusion
4. Commercial use of biometrics, looking at the benefits and risks in this growing area
5. Future directions, which anticipates evolving use and technology developments

Please note: This document is strictly for Biometrics Institute member use only. Reproduction is limited to a single hard copy for internal use. Electronic access is restricted to one system at a time, and the document must not be transferred, shared, or uploaded to any network, either internally or externally.

© Copyright 2021 Biometrics Institute.  All Rights Reserved.

State of Biometrics Report 2020 here 

State of Biometrics Report 2019 here

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Why this paper is important:

• The Biometrics Institute promotes the use of biometrics but only if used responsibly and ethically
• Biometrics are complex, different use cases present different levels of risk which need to be assessed, planned and managed carefully
• Using biometrics responsibly, requires informed decision-making. The institute provides unique tools like the Three Laws of Biometrics, its Good Practice Framework and Privacy Guidelines to work through the decision-making process
• The institute is well placed to provide these tools and accompanying guidance as the independent and impartial international membership organisation representing a diverse multi-stakeholder community

Through consultation with our expert group and Advisory Council members, and by listening to our diverse global membership we have explored the different viewpoints on this topic. 

What next?

We urge all our members to read this report then:

1. Share and discuss with your colleagues and peers
2. Ask whether your policies and processes are alleviating or adding to the problem
3. Take action accordingly: share your successes to promote the responsible use of biometrics, OR find out how to identify your risk gaps through the Biometrics Institute’s good practice documents

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