Without prejudice, facial recognition technology will be implemented at the festival, asserts Met Chief.
The Metropolitan Police has made a controversial move by deploying live facial recognition (LFR) technology at the 2025 Notting Hill Carnival as part of enhanced security measures. This decision, however, has sparked a heated debate about racial and gender bias, with civil liberties groups and activists raising concerns about unfair targeting of ethnically diverse attendees.
Effective Crime Prevention, Yet Controversial
The use of LFR technology at the carnival has resulted in the identification of almost 100 people of interest, leading to 52 arrests directly linked to the technology. Moreover, the deployment of LFR has contributed to a significant decline in serious violent incidents compared to previous years. The technology was primarily used on approaches to and from the event rather than inside the crowds.
The LFR technology is just one aspect of the wider security measures implemented for the carnival, which also includes knife arches, stop-and-search, and the deployment of drones by the British Transport Police.
Bias Concerns and Denials
Despite the notable success in crime prevention, allegations of bias against women and people of color have been raised. Activists and civil liberties groups claim that the technology unfairly targets ethnically diverse attendees. However, police officials deny these claims, defending the technology as tested and effective for public safety without discrimination.
Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police chief, stated that the technology will help locate dangerous individuals at the carnival. He also added that the force has selected the algorithm it uses "with care" and knows how to use it in a non-discriminatory way.
Ongoing Debate
The debate about the use of facial recognition technology at the Notting Hill Carnival is far from over. Concerns about privacy, public safety, and potential systemic bias in facial recognition technology remain a prominent part of the public discourse.
Eleven groups, including Liberty and Big Brother Watch, wrote a letter to the commissioner expressing concerns about the technology being used at the carnival, arguing that there is "no clear legal basis" for Scotland Yard's use of facial recognition technology.
Rebecca Vincent, interim director at Big Brother Watch, expressed disappointment that the Metropolitan Police Service has not scrapped the use of facial recognition technology at the carnival.
As the Notting Hill Carnival continues to be a celebration of the British African Caribbean community, concerns about the use of facial recognition technology, with its history of inaccurate outcomes and racial bias, remain a contentious issue. The debate is likely to continue as technology evolves and its impact on society is further scrutinized.
[1] The Guardian: Facial recognition technology used at Notting Hill Carnival causes controversy [2] BBC News: Notting Hill Carnival: Facial recognition technology used by police [3] The Independent: Notting Hill Carnival facial recognition: Met Police deny bias claims over use of technology [4] The Telegraph: Notting Hill Carnival facial recognition: Police accused of bias against women and people of colour
