Stop the race to build the world’s most accurate facial recognition software with databases of millions of pictures.

Dear Friend,

People go on OkCupid hoping to find their perfect match.

But online daters are getting more than they bargained for. They and many other people who have posted pictures online have ended up in a database used for developing facial recognition software — and the database has been sold to foreign governments, military operations, and police departments around the world.1

The race is on to build the world's most accurate facial recognition software with databases of millions of pictures — all without our permission. There is no oversight of how these databases are used, and they're sold to the highest bidder.

Demand Progress is fighting for our right to privacy and protection from facial recognition databases. Will you donate to help stop this abuse of our rights?

OkCupid and social media sites aren't the only sources for these databases. The New York Times reported that Stanford University used photos pulled from a security camera in a coffee shop. Duke University did the same with its on-campus cameras. Microsoft added photos as well — adding up to tens of millions of photos.2

And unlike other biometric data, like fingerprints, or personal information, like social security numbers, private companies building these databases are doing nothing to protect them — in fact, they’re selling them for profit.3 OkCupid's photos ended up in a private facial recognition firm's database because the founder of the online data site was an investor.

Even worse, unlike DNA, fingerprints, and other biometric data, there is no law or state authorization for the collection of the information for these databases. There is no warrant required, no opting in to having our photos used — and no opting out, either.4

These troves of photos are being used to develop surveillance technology unlike we've ever seen before. With absolutely no regulation, it's foreseeable that soon every camera we step in front of could be searching databases for our likeness and identifying where we go and what we’re doing.

Congress is finally beginning to catch up with the technology and is questioning how it is used. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan called for an investigation into why the FBI was given access to DMV databases without authorization. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has sounded the alarm about the dangers of widespread use of facial recognition technology.

Now is the time to capitalize on the public's attention on facial recognition technology and call for Congress to put a stop to the reckless use of our photos.

Will you donate to help stop the runaway train of facial recognition software?

Thanks for standing with us.

Robert Cruickshank,
Demand Progress

Sources:

1. The New York Times, "Facial Recognition Tech Is Growing Stronger, Thanks to Your Face," July 13, 2019
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. The Washington Post, "FBI, ICE find state driver’s license photos are a gold mine for facial-recognition searches," July 7, 2019

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