Amazon Rekognition

2021: Prohibition of the use of software by the police

On May 18, 2021, Amazon announced the extension of a moratorium prohibiting police from using its facial recognition software. The Rekognition system was criticized due to frequent errors.

In 2020, Amazon imposed an annual moratorium prohibiting police officers from using Rekognition software, which did not receive proper public recognition. The Rekognition system not only provided incorrect results of comparing biometric data, but also caused concern among residents of the United States and other countries of the world about "total surveillance." At that time, Amazon tried to allay people's fears, paying attention to the fact that the benefits of using such technology outweigh the disadvantages.

Amazon has blocked police from accessing its facial recognition system

We believe that introducing a ban on promising new technologies is the wrong approach, since in the future they can be used by intruders for nefarious purposes, "Amazon said.

Such statements, however, caused even more criticism, and Amazon eventually made concessions to skeptics.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has always been an outspoken critic of Rekognition, especially when there was evidence that the technology is biased against black people.

Facial recognition technology contributes to excessive control over black communities and has already led to false arrests and illegal conclusions of many blacks, "said Nathan Fried Wessler, deputy director of the ACLU project.

Amazon did not explain why the company extends the ban on the use of Rekognition and did not say what is currently happening with this software. When the company announced the initial moratorium, it noted that "governments should introduce stricter rules governing the ethical use of facial recognition technology."

The statement also stated:

We hope that this one-year moratorium will give Congress ample time to implement the relevant rules, and we stand ready to help if requested.[1]

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