Public Safety

Join ITIF for a panel discussion with policymakers and thought leaders about how to ensure that users can enjoy the benefits of AR/VR technology safely.

The TSA has begun testing facial recognition technology to verify passengers’ identities at 16 major airports. But opposition, including from cities with facial recognition bans, would force the TSA to continue to rely on outdated technology and place restrictions on innovation that would benefit passengers most of all.

Join ITIF in-person for a discussion about what emerging technologies are on the horizon for law enforcement and how police departments can get the most out of these technologies while addressing some of the legitimate concerns.

Police tech could transform the way law enforcement operates, reducing crime and saving lives. Policymakers should focus on advancing adoption while enacting regulations to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of police tech.

EFF tries to deflect criticism of its position by arguing law enforcement has many other tools at its disposal—but that claim is a crafty bit of misdirection because EFF has opposed those tools too.

Activists continue to lobby local governments for facial recognition technology bans, falsely arguing it is racist, sexist, and a threat to free speech. They dismiss or ignore all evidence showing how it keeps people safe, and some local officials have fallen for their arguments hook, line, and sinker.

Law enforcement argues that “warrant-proof” encryption presents a unique and urgent threat by preventing them from accessing user data. But history shows that government efforts to subvert encryption would negatively impact individuals and businesses. As such, banning the technology is not the answer.

Regardless of where one stands on police reform, banning facial recognition for law enforcement makes little sense. To understand the reasons, consider some of the most popular ideas for responding to police violence.

The COVID crisis has shifted the data privacy debate away from its prior focus on individual rights to one more focused on collective needs and responsibilities—for example, when it comes to sharing and analyzing medial data related to the pandemic, or tracking individuals’ contacts. Rob and Jackie discuss these issues with noted scholar and public intellectual Amitai Etzioni.