Moscow, the capital of Russia, is currently developing and implementing a facial recognition system called “Moscow Safe City.” The system is said to be one of the world’s largest facial recognition systems, with a database of over 20 million faces, connected to over 100,000 cameras in key public places in the city to scan crowds for wanted individuals. The project has been under development since 2012 and was launched in 2017, with the goal of helping the city become safer and more secure.
However, as with any surveillance system, there are concerns about the potential impact on privacy. Facial recognition technology has been widely criticized for its accuracy, particularly in recognizing faces of people with darker skin tones and women. There are also concerns about the potential misuse of such a system by the authorities, particularly in a country like Russia, where there is a history of government surveillance of its citizens. Privacy advocates argue that the project could be used to track and monitor people who are not suspected of any crime, for example to suppress dissent and stifle political opposition. They also argue that the data collected by the cameras could be used to build profiles of people, which could then be used to target them with advertising or other forms of manipulation. It’s worth noting that Russia has a long history of using surveillance technology to monitor its citizens, with the FSB, Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, known for using a wide range of electronic surveillance methods, including phone tapping and internet monitoring.
The Moscow government has defended the project, saying that it is necessary to keep the city safe. They also argue that the data collected by the cameras is not stored and is only used to identify people who are suspected of crime.
Also, in the case of Moscow Safe City, the system’s creators, Russian company NTechLab, claim that the technology is only used for law enforcement and public safety purposes, and that they take privacy concerns seriously. However, critics argue that the potential for abuse is too great, and that there needs to be greater transparency and accountability around the use of such systems.
The Moscow Safe City project is just one example of how facial recognition technology is being deployed in cities across the world. While there is no doubt that such technology can be useful in preventing crime and identifying suspects, it’s important to carefully consider the implications for privacy and civil liberties.
In response to these concerns, some cities and countries have taken steps to ban or restrict the use of facial recognition technology. In the United States, for example, some cities have passed legislation banning the use of the technology by law enforcement agencies. The European Union has also proposed regulations that would require companies to obtain explicit consent from individuals before using their biometric data.
The use of facial recognition technology is likely to continue to grow in the future. This is because the technology is becoming more accurate and cheaper to use. It is also being used in a wider range of applications, such as unlocking smartphones.
As facial recognition technology becomes more widespread, it’s important to be aware of these privacy concerns and ensure that it’s being used responsibly and that individual privacy is being protected with monitoring the use of the technology closely. It is also important to demand transparency from companies and governments that are using this technology. The Moscow Safe City project is just one example of the potential impact of such technology, and it’s up to individuals, governments, and companies to ensure that it’s being used in a way that is both effective and respectful of privacy.