Another U.S. County Deploys Clearview AI’s Face Search Tech

The Hays County Sheriff’s Department in Texas recently adopted Clearview AI’s facial recognition technology, following its approval by the county commissioners in December 2023. The software assists law enforcement by identifying suspects and victims from images and recorded video, particularly from CCTV footage and public sources such as social media.

Since its implementation, the department says it has employed the software in approximately 120 cases, with officials asserting that its use is strictly limited to generating leads and never serves as the sole basis for arrests.

Clearview AI has attracted significant controversy, primarily due to the methods it used to build its vast image database. The company amassed over 40 billion images by scraping public websites, including social media platforms, without explicit consent from individuals or permission from the sites hosting the images. This has raised major privacy concerns and led to legal challenges from companies like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), which argue that Clearview’s practices violate their terms of service and could infringe on personal privacy rights. Critics, including privacy advocates and civil liberties groups, contend that Clearview AI’s data collection methods set a dangerous precedent for privacy infringement, enabling unauthorized surveillance and the potential for misuse.

To address privacy and ethical concerns, the Hays County Sheriff’s Department has emphasized responsible usage protocols. The department insists that Clearview AI is only one of several investigative tools and is never used in real-time surveillance. Hays County officials stress that analysts thoroughly vet the software’s outputs before passing them on as leads, and there are safeguards in place to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.

Sheriff Lieutenant Clint Pulpan underscored that Clearview AI is not the sole factor in identifying or arresting suspects, with protocols demanding further evidence.

“It’s why when we get any other picture of a possible suspect, no matter where it comes from, that’s not enough probable cause for a warrant,” he told The University Star. “It’s just a lead, it is not enough in and of itself to arrest anybody and there’s no way that’s going to happen.”

Clearview AI’s facial recognition technology is currently in use by over 3,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States, including various local, state, and federal departments. The company has established contracts not only with local police departments but also with federal agencies like the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), solidifying its role in aiding law enforcement at multiple levels​.

Source: The University Star

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October 11, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team