After Hyderabad, Chennai, and Delhi police, the Odisha police are now set to use facial recognition technology (FRT) application to track persons with criminal records, The New Indian Express reported. The FRT-integrated application has been procured from a Delhi-based firm. The Cuttack police informed TNIE that the new system will be operational within three months. It will be used by the police to identify “criminal antecedents” during regular checks and while patrolling local areas. Why is this important: The growing use of facial recognition technology by police is concerning given that it’s still unclear if it’s legal or not. In the past, the Telangana and Chennai police have invited criticism for unchecked use of FRT-integrated applications leading to violation of people’s right to privacy and restricted freedom of movement. Such practices also raise issues of mass surveillance as well as tech-induced discrimination against communities. Unless these problems are addressed, any further use of inadequately tested FRT systems must not be encouraged. Key highlights from the report: According to the TNIE report, the new FRT app will be linked to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) data base, a central-level database on arrested persons, convicted criminals, and offenders, etc., maintained by the Home Ministry. The SPs of all districts have to upload pictures, from different angles, of all the accused and those arrested in the last 15-20 years on the CCTNS database for effective results. If pictures match above 70 percent, they will be considered as positive results…
