UPDATE: We’ve launched groundbreaking legal action to stop the expansion of live facial recognition surveillance in the UK. Join the fight-back here. Donate to our NEW CROWDFUNDER today.
Police and private companies in the UK are increasingly using facial recognition technology to monitor, categorise and track us. The technology works by creating a 'faceprint' of everyone who passes in front of camera — processing biometric data as sensitive as a fingerprint, often without our knowledge or consent. This dangerously authoritarian surveillance is a threat to our privacy and freedoms — it has no place on the streets of Britain.
We've just launched legal action against police and shops' use of live facial recognition surveillance
We’re crowdfunding to grow the biggest possible campaign of resistance to an unprecedented Government and retail expansion of facial recognition surveillance in the UK. With your support, we can:
Take groundbreaking legal action against police and shops' use of facial recognition
Demand politicians roll back live facial recognition
Give legal advice & support to people affected by live facial recognition
Work with groups around the world fighting live facial recognition surveillance
Every penny you donate will go directly towards our work fighting the spread of this Orwellian surveillance technology and protecting your privacy.
EMAIL YOUR MP
Make sure you personalise your email with your name, postcode, and your own reasoned arguments and feelings about police use of Orwellian live facial recognition surveillance in the UK.
Step 1: Select your MP from the list below:
If you're not sure who your MP is, you can find out here.
- Jack Abbott Labour Ipswich
- Ms Diane Abbott Labour Hackney North and Stoke Newington
- Debbie Abrahams Labour Oldham East and Saddleworth
- Shockat Adam Independent Leicester South
- Dr Zubir Ahmed Labour Glasgow South West
- Luke Akehurst Labour North Durham
- Bayo Alaba Labour Southend East and Rochford
- Daniel Aldridge Labour Weston-super-Mare
- Heidi Alexander Labour Swindon South
- Mr Douglas Alexander Labour Lothian East
- Sadik Al-Hassan Labour North Somerset
- Rushanara Ali Labour Bethnal Green and Stepney
- Tahir Ali Labour Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley
- Dr Rosena Allin-Khan Labour Tooting
- Jim Allister Traditional Unionist Voice North Antrim
- Mike Amesbury Labour Runcorn and Helsby
- Mr Gideon Amos Liberal Democrat Taunton and Wellington
- Callum Anderson Labour Buckingham and Bletchley
- Fleur Anderson Labour Putney
- Lee Anderson Reform UK Ashfield
- Stuart Anderson Conservative South Shropshire
- Stuart Andrew Conservative Daventry
- Tonia Antoniazzi Labour Gower
- Steff Aquarone Liberal Democrat North Norfolk
- Edward Argar Conservative Melton and Syston
- Dr Scott Arthur Labour Edinburgh South West
- Jess Asato Labour Lowestoft
- James Asser Labour West Ham and Beckton
- Jas Athwal Labour Ilford South
- Victoria Atkins Conservative Louth and Horncastle
- Catherine Atkinson Labour Derby North
- Lewis Atkinson Labour Sunderland Central
- Josh Babarinde Liberal Democrat Eastbourne
- Gareth Bacon Conservative Orpington
- Mrs Kemi Badenoch Conservative North West Essex
- Calvin Bailey Labour Leyton and Wanstead
- Olivia Bailey Labour Reading West and Mid Berkshire
- David Baines Labour St Helens North
- Alex Baker Labour Aldershot
- Richard Baker Labour Glenrothes and Mid Fife
- Dame Harriett Baldwin Conservative West Worcestershire
- Alex Ballinger Labour Halesowen
- Antonia Bance Labour Tipton and Wednesbury
- Steve Barclay Conservative North East Cambridgeshire
- Paula Barker Labour Liverpool Wavertree
- Lee Barron Labour Corby and East Northamptonshire
- Mr Alex Barros-Curtis Labour Cardiff West
- Johanna Baxter Labour Paisley and Renfrewshire South
- Danny Beales Labour Uxbridge and South Ruislip
- Mrs Lorraine Beavers Labour Blackpool North and Fleetwood
- Mr Peter Bedford Conservative Mid Leicestershire
- Orfhlaith Begley Sinn FÈin West Tyrone
- Apsana Begum Labour Poplar and Limehouse
- Torsten Bell Labour Swansea West
- Hilary Benn Labour Leeds South
- Alison Bennett Liberal Democrat Mid Sussex
- Sian Berry Green Party Brighton Pavilion
- Mr Clive Betts Labour Sheffield South East
- Saqib Bhatti Conservative Meriden and Solihull East
- Polly Billington Labour East Thanet
- Matt Bishop Labour Forest of Dean
- Bob Blackman Conservative Harrow East
- Kirsty Blackman Scottish National Party Aberdeen North
- Olivia Blake Labour Sheffield Hallam
- Rachel Blake Labour Cities of London and Westminster
- Mr Chris Bloore Labour Redditch
- Mrs Elsie Blundell Labour Heywood and Middleton North
- Kevin Bonavia Labour Stevenage
- Sarah Bool Conservative South Northamptonshire
- Jade Botterill Labour Ossett and Denby Dale
- Andrew Bowie Conservative West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
- Sureena Brackenridge Labour Wolverhampton North East
- Dame Karen Bradley Conservative Staffordshire Moorlands
- Aphra Brandreth Conservative Chester South and Eddisbury
- Jonathan Brash Labour Hartlepool
- Suella Braverman Conservative Fareham and Waterlooville
- Alex Brewer Liberal Democrat North East Hampshire
- Mr Phil Brickell Labour Bolton West
- Jess Brown-Fuller Liberal Democrat Chichester
- Sir Chris Bryant Labour Rhondda and Ogmore
- Julia Buckley Labour Shrewsbury
- Alex Burghart Conservative Brentwood and Ongar
- Richard Burgon Labour Leeds East
- Maureen Burke Labour Glasgow North East
- David Burton-Sampson Labour Southend West and Leigh
- Dawn Butler Labour Brent East
- Ian Byrne Labour Liverpool West Derby
- Liam Byrne Labour Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North
- Ruth Cadbury Labour Brentford and Isleworth
- Nesil Caliskan Labour Barking
- Irene Campbell Labour North Ayrshire and Arran
- Juliet Campbell Labour Broxtowe
- Mr Gregory Campbell Democratic Unionist Party East Londonderry
- Sir Alan Campbell Labour Tynemouth
- Markus Campbell-Savours Labour Penrith and Solway
- Charlotte Cane Liberal Democrat Ely and East Cambridgeshire
- Dan Carden Labour Liverpool Walton
- Sam Carling Labour North West Cambridgeshire
- Mr Alistair Carmichael Liberal Democrat Orkney and Shetland
- Al Carns Labour Birmingham Selly Oak
- James Cartlidge Conservative South Suffolk
- David Chadwick Liberal Democrat Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe
- Wendy Chamberlain Liberal Democrat North East Fife
- Danny Chambers Liberal Democrat Winchester
- Sarah Champion Labour Rotherham
- Bambos Charalambous Labour Southgate and Wood Green
- Luke Charters Labour York Outer
- Sir Christopher Chope Conservative Christchurch
- Ellie Chowns Green Party North Herefordshire
- Feryal Clark Labour Enfield North
- Mr James Cleverly Conservative Braintree
- Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Conservative North Cotswolds
- Lewis Cocking Conservative Broxbourne
- Chris Coghlan Liberal Democrat Dorking and Horley
- Ben Coleman Labour Chelsea and Fulham
- Jacob Collier Labour Burton and Uttoxeter
- Lizzi Collinge Labour Morecambe and Lunesdale
- Tom Collins Labour Worcester
- Victoria Collins Liberal Democrat Harpenden and Berkhamsted
- Liam Conlon Labour Beckenham and Penge
- Sarah Coombes Labour West Bromwich
- Andrew Cooper Labour Mid Cheshire
- Daisy Cooper Liberal Democrat St Albans
- Dr Beccy Cooper Labour Worthing West
- John Cooper Conservative Dumfries and Galloway
- Yvette Cooper Labour Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
- Jeremy Corbyn Independent Islington North
- Alberto Costa Conservative South Leicestershire
- Deirdre Costigan Labour Ealing Southall
- Claire Coutinho Conservative East Surrey
- Pam Cox Labour Colchester
- Sir Geoffrey Cox Conservative Torridge and Tavistock
- Neil Coyle Labour Bermondsey and Old Southwark
- Jen Craft Labour Thurrock
- Mary Creagh Labour Coventry East
- Stella Creasy Labour Walthamstow
- Torcuil Crichton Labour Na h-Eileanan an Iar
- Harriet Cross Conservative Gordon and Buchan
- Pat Cullen Sinn FÈin Fermanagh and South Tyrone
- Judith Cummins Labour Bradford South
- Chris Curtis Labour Milton Keynes North
- Janet Daby Labour Lewisham East
- Nicholas Dakin Labour Scunthorpe
- Ashley Dalton Labour West Lancashire
- Adam Dance Liberal Democrat Yeovil
- Steve Darling Liberal Democrat Torbay
- Emily Darlington Labour Milton Keynes Central
- Ed Davey Liberal Democrat Kingston and Surbiton
- Gareth Davies Conservative Grantham and Bourne
- Jonathan Davies Labour Mid Derbyshire
- Mims Davies Conservative East Grinstead and Uckfield
- Ms Ann Davies Plaid Cymru Caerfyrddin
- Paul Davies Labour Colne Valley
- Shaun Davies Labour Telford
- Alex Davies-Jones Labour Pontypridd
- Sir David Davis Conservative Goole and Pocklington
- Marsha De Cordova Labour Battersea
- Bobby Dean Liberal Democrat Carshalton and Wallington
- Josh Dean Labour Hertford and Stortford
- Kate Dearden Labour Halifax
- Carla Denyer Green Party Bristol Central
- Charlie Dewhirst Conservative Bridlington and The Wolds
- Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Labour Slough
- Jim Dickson Labour Dartford
- Mr Lee Dillon Liberal Democrat Newbury
- Dame Caroline Dinenage Conservative Gosport
- Anna Dixon Labour Shipley
- Samantha Dixon Labour Chester North and Neston
- Anneliese Dodds Labour Oxford East
- Helena Dollimore Labour Hastings and Rye
- Dave Doogan Scottish National Party Angus and Perthshire Glens
- Stephen Doughty Labour Cardiff South and Penarth
- Peter Dowd Labour Bootle
- Sir Oliver Dowden Conservative Hertsmere
- Graeme Downie Labour Dunfermline and Dollar
- Rosie Duffield Labour Canterbury
- Sir Iain Duncan Smith Conservative Chingford and Woodford Green
- Neil Duncan-Jordan Labour Poole
- Sarah Dyke Liberal Democrat Glastonbury and Somerton
- Dame Angela Eagle Labour Wallasey
- Maria Eagle Labour Liverpool Garston
- Alex Easton Independent North Down
- Colum Eastwood Social Democratic & Labour Party Foyle
- Sorcha Eastwood Alliance Lagan Valley
- Cat Eccles Labour Stourbridge
- Lauren Edwards Labour Rochester and Strood
- Sarah Edwards Labour Tamworth
- Clive Efford Labour Eltham and Chislehurst
- Damien Egan Labour Bristol North East
- Maya Ellis Labour Ribble Valley
- Chris Elmore Labour Bridgend
- Kirith Entwistle Labour Bolton North East
- Florence Eshalomi Labour Vauxhall and Camberwell Green
- Bill Esterson Labour Sefton Central
- Chris Evans Labour Caerphilly
- Dr Luke Evans Conservative Hinckley and Bosworth
- Miatta Fahnbulleh Labour Peckham
- Hamish Falconer Labour Lincoln
- Nigel Farage Reform UK Clacton
- Linsey Farnsworth Labour Amber Valley
- Tim Farron Liberal Democrat Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Josh Fenton-Glynn Labour Calder Valley
- Mark Ferguson Labour Gateshead Central and Whickham
- Patricia Ferguson Labour Glasgow West
- John Finucane Sinn FÈin Belfast North
- Natalie Fleet Labour Bolsover
- Stephen Flynn Scottish National Party Aberdeen South
- Emma Foody Labour Cramlington and Killingworth
- Catherine Fookes Labour Monmouthshire
- Richard Foord Liberal Democrat Honiton and Sidmouth
- Will Forster Liberal Democrat Woking
- Peter Fortune Conservative Bromley and Biggin Hill
- Paul Foster Labour South Ribble
- Sir Ashley Fox Conservative Bridgwater
- Vicky Foxcroft Labour Lewisham North
- Mary Kelly Foy Labour City of Durham
- Daniel Francis Labour Bexleyheath and Crayford
- Mr Mark Francois Conservative Rayleigh and Wickford
- Zöe Franklin Liberal Democrat Guildford
- George Freeman Conservative Mid Norfolk
- Mr Louie French Conservative Old Bexley and Sidcup
- Mr James Frith Labour Bury North
- Richard Fuller Conservative North Bedfordshire
- Gill Furniss Labour Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough
- Sir Roger Gale Conservative Herne Bay and Sandwich
- Barry Gardiner Labour Brent West
- Allison Gardner Labour Stoke-on-Trent South
- Mark Garnier Conservative Wyre Forest
- Anna Gelderd Labour South East Cornwall
- Alan Gemmell Labour Central Ayrshire
- Andrew George Liberal Democrat St Ives
- Gill German Labour Clwyd North
- Stephen Gethins Scottish National Party Arbroath and Broughty Ferry
- Ms Nusrat Ghani Conservative Sussex Weald
- Sarah Gibson Liberal Democrat Chippenham
- Tracy Gilbert Labour Edinburgh North and Leith
- Preet Kaur Gill Labour Birmingham Edgbaston
- Rachel Gilmour Liberal Democrat Tiverton and Minehead
- Becky Gittins Labour Clwyd East
- John Glen Conservative Salisbury
- Mary Glindon Labour Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
- Olly Glover Liberal Democrat Didcot and Wantage
- Marie Goldman Liberal Democrat Chelmsford
- Ben Goldsborough Labour South Norfolk
- Tom Gordon Liberal Democrat Harrogate and Knaresborough
- Jodie Gosling Labour Nuneaton
- Georgia Gould Labour Queen's Park and Maida Vale
- John Grady Labour Glasgow East
- Helen Grant Conservative Maidstone and Malling
- Sarah Green Liberal Democrat Chesham and Amersham
- Lilian Greenwood Labour Nottingham South
- Andrew Griffith Conservative Arundel and South Downs
- Dame Nia Griffith Labour Llanelli
- Alison Griffiths Conservative Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
- Andrew Gwynne Labour Gorton and Denton
- Amanda Hack Labour North West Leicestershire
- Louise Haigh Labour Sheffield Heeley
- Sarah Hall Labour Warrington South
- Fabian Hamilton Labour Leeds North East
- Paulette Hamilton Labour Birmingham Erdington
- Claire Hanna Social Democratic & Labour Party Belfast South and Mid Down
- Monica Harding Liberal Democrat Esher and Walton
- Emma Hardy Labour Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
- Carolyn Harris Labour Neath and Swansea East
- Rebecca Harris Conservative Castle Point
- Lloyd Hatton Labour South Dorset
- Helen Hayes Labour Dulwich and West Norwood
- Sir John Hayes Conservative South Holland and The Deepings
- Tom Hayes Labour Bournemouth East
- Claire Hazelgrove Labour Filton and Bradley Stoke
- Chris Hazzard Sinn FÈin South Down
- John Healey Labour Rawmarsh and Conisbrough
- Sir Mark Hendrick Labour Preston
- Pippa Heylings Liberal Democrat South Cambridgeshire
- Dame Meg Hillier Labour Hackney South and Shoreditch
- Chris Hinchliff Labour North East Hertfordshire
- Jonathan Hinder Labour Pendle and Clitheroe
- Damian Hinds Conservative East Hampshire
- Simon Hoare Conservative North Dorset
- Wera Hobhouse Liberal Democrat Bath
- Mrs Sharon Hodgson Labour Washington and Gateshead South
- Mr Richard Holden Conservative Basildon and Billericay
- Kevin Hollinrake Conservative Thirsk and Malton
- Paul Holmes Conservative Hamble Valley
- Rachel Hopkins Labour Luton South and South Bedfordshire
- Sir Lindsay Hoyle Speaker Chorley
- Nigel Huddleston Conservative Droitwich and Evesham
- Dr Neil Hudson Conservative Epping Forest
- Claire Hughes Labour Bangor Aberconwy
- D·ire Hughes Sinn FÈin Newry and Armagh
- Alison Hume Labour Scarborough and Whitby
- Jeremy Hunt Conservative Godalming and Ash
- Dr Rupa Huq Labour Ealing Central and Acton
- Patrick Hurley Labour Southport
- Imran Hussain Labour Bradford East
- Mr Adnan Hussain Independent Blackburn
- Leigh Ingham Labour Stafford
- Natasha Irons Labour Croydon East
- Sally Jameson Labour Doncaster Central
- Christine Jardine Liberal Democrat Edinburgh West
- Dan Jarvis Labour Barnsley North
- Liz Jarvis Liberal Democrat Eastleigh
- Sir Bernard Jenkin Conservative Harwich and North Essex
- Robert Jenrick Conservative Newark
- Terry Jermy Labour South West Norfolk
- Adam Jogee Labour Newcastle-under-Lyme
- Dame Diana Johnson Labour Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham
- Dr Caroline Johnson Conservative Sleaford and North Hykeham
- Kim Johnson Labour Liverpool Riverside
- Clive Jones Liberal Democrat Wokingham
- Darren Jones Labour Bristol North West
- Gerald Jones Labour Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
- Lillian Jones Labour Kilmarnock and Loudoun
- Louise Jones Labour North East Derbyshire
- Ruth Jones Labour Newport West and Islwyn
- Sarah Jones Labour Croydon West
- Lincoln Jopp Conservative Spelthorne
- Gurinder Josan Labour Smethwick
- Sojan Joseph Labour Ashford
- Warinder Juss Labour Wolverhampton West
- Chris Kane Labour Stirling and Strathallan
- Mike Kane Labour Wythenshawe and Sale East
- Satvir Kaur Labour Southampton Test
- Alicia Kearns Conservative Rutland and Stamford
- Liz Kendall Labour Leicester West
- Afzal Khan Labour Manchester Rusholme
- Ayoub Khan Independent Birmingham Perry Barr
- Naushabah Khan Labour Gillingham and Rainham
- Stephen Kinnock Labour Aberafan Maesteg
- Jayne Kirkham Labour Truro and Falmouth
- Gen Kitchen Labour Wellingborough and Rushden
- Mr Paul Kohler Liberal Democrat Wimbledon
- Danny Kruger Conservative East Wiltshire
- Sonia Kumar Labour Dudley
- Uma Kumaran Labour Stratford and Bow
- Peter Kyle Labour Hove and Portslade
- Laura Kyrke-Smith Labour Aylesbury
- Ben Lake Plaid Cymru Ceredigion Preseli
- Katie Lam Conservative Weald of Kent
- Peter Lamb Labour Crawley
- Mr David Lammy Labour Tottenham
- John Lamont Conservative Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
- Ian Lavery Labour Blyth and Ashington
- Chris Law Scottish National Party Dundee Central
- Noah Law Labour St Austell and Newquay
- Kim Leadbeater Labour Spen Valley
- Graham Leadbitter Scottish National Party Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey
- Sir Edward Leigh Conservative Gainsborough
- Brian Leishman Labour Alloa and Grangemouth
- Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck Labour South Shields
- Andrew Lewin Labour Welwyn Hatfield
- Clive Lewis Labour Norwich South
- Sir Julian Lewis Conservative New Forest East
- Simon Lightwood Labour Wakefield and Rothwell
- Carla Lockhart Democratic Unionist Party Upper Bann
- Seamus Logan Scottish National Party Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
- Rebecca Long Bailey Labour Salford
- Julia Lopez Conservative Hornchurch and Upminster
- Rupert Lowe Reform UK Great Yarmouth
- Josh MacAlister Labour Whitehaven and Workington
- James MacCleary Liberal Democrat Lewes
- Alice Macdonald Labour Norwich North
- Angus MacDonald Liberal Democrat Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
- Andy MacNae Labour Rossendale and Darwen
- Justin Madders Labour Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
- Ben Maguire Liberal Democrat North Cornwall
- Helen Maguire Liberal Democrat Epsom and Ewell
- Shabana Mahmood Labour Birmingham Ladywood
- Alan Mak Conservative Havant
- Seema Malhotra Labour Feltham and Heston
- Mr Cathal Mallaghan Sinn FÈin Mid Ulster
- Kit Malthouse Conservative North West Hampshire
- Amanda Martin Labour Portsmouth North
- Mike Martin Liberal Democrat Tunbridge Wells
- Rachael Maskell Labour York Central
- Paul Maskey Sinn FÈin Belfast West
- Keir Mather Labour Selby
- Brian Mathew Liberal Democrat Melksham and Devizes
- Alex Mayer Labour Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
- Jerome Mayhew Conservative Broadland and Fakenham
- Charles Maynard Liberal Democrat Witney
- Douglas McAllister Labour West Dunbartonshire
- Kerry McCarthy Labour Bristol East
- Martin McCluskey Labour Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West
- Dame Siobhain McDonagh Labour Mitcham and Morden
- Andy McDonald Labour Middlesbrough and Thornaby East
- Chris McDonald Labour Stockton North
- John McDonnell Labour Hayes and Harlington
- Blair McDougall Labour East Renfrewshire
- Lola McEvoy Labour Darlington
- Pat McFadden Labour Wolverhampton South East
- Alison McGovern Labour Birkenhead
- Alex McIntyre Labour Gloucester
- Gordon McKee Labour Glasgow South
- Kevin McKenna Labour Sittingbourne and Sheppey
- Catherine McKinnell Labour Newcastle upon Tyne North
- Jim McMahon Labour Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton
- Anna McMorrin Labour Cardiff North
- James McMurdock Reform UK South Basildon and East Thurrock
- Frank McNally Labour Coatbridge and Bellshill
- Kirsty McNeill Labour Midlothian
- Esther McVey Conservative Tatton
- Llinos Medi Plaid Cymru Ynys MÙn
- Anneliese Midgley Labour Knowsley
- Ed Miliband Labour Doncaster North
- Calum Miller Liberal Democrat Bicester and Woodstock
- John Milne Liberal Democrat Horsham
- Ms Julie Minns Labour Carlisle
- Navendu Mishra Labour Stockport
- Mr Andrew Mitchell Conservative Sutton Coldfield
- Abtisam Mohamed Labour Sheffield Central
- Iqbal Mohamed Independent Dewsbury and Batley
- Mr Gagan Mohindra Conservative South West Hertfordshire
- Perran Moon Labour Camborne and Redruth
- Robbie Moore Conservative Keighley and Ilkley
- Layla Moran Liberal Democrat Oxford West and Abingdon
- Jessica Morden Labour Newport East
- Edward Morello Liberal Democrat West Dorset
- Helen Morgan Liberal Democrat North Shropshire
- Stephen Morgan Labour Portsmouth South
- Grahame Morris Labour Easington
- Joe Morris Labour Hexham
- Mr Tom Morrison Liberal Democrat Cheadle
- Joy Morrissey Conservative Beaconsfield
- Wendy Morton Conservative Aldridge-Brownhills
- Dr Kieran Mullan Conservative Bexhill and Battle
- Margaret Mullane Labour Dagenham and Rainham
- David Mundell Conservative Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
- Tessa Munt Liberal Democrat Wells and Mendip Hills
- Luke Murphy Labour Basingstoke
- Chris Murray Labour Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
- Ian Murray Labour Edinburgh South
- James Murray Labour Ealing North
- Katrina Murray Labour Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch
- Susan Murray Liberal Democrat Mid Dunbartonshire
- Dr Andrew Murrison Conservative South West Wiltshire
- Luke Myer Labour Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
- James Naish Labour Rushcliffe
- Connor Naismith Labour Crewe and Nantwich
- Lisa Nandy Labour Wigan
- Kanishka Narayan Labour Vale of Glamorgan
- Pamela Nash Labour Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke
- Josh Newbury Labour Cannock Chase
- Samantha Niblett Labour South Derbyshire
- Charlotte Nichols Labour Warrington North
- Caroline Nokes Conservative Romsey and Southampton North
- Jesse Norman Conservative Hereford and South Herefordshire
- Alex Norris Labour Nottingham North and Kimberley
- Dan Norris Labour North East Somerset and Hanham
- Ben Obese-Jecty Conservative Huntingdon
- Neil O'Brien Conservative Harborough, Oadby and Wigston
- Brendan O'Hara Scottish National Party Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
- Sarah Olney Liberal Democrat Richmond Park
- Melanie Onn Labour Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
- Chi Onwurah Labour Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
- Dr Simon Opher Labour Stroud
- Ms Abena Oppong-Asare Labour Erith and Thamesmead
- Kate Osamor Labour Edmonton and Winchmore Hill
- Kate Osborne Labour Jarrow and Gateshead East
- Tristan Osborne Labour Chatham and Aylesford
- Taiwo Owatemi Labour Coventry North West
- Sarah Owen Labour Luton North
- Darren Paffey Labour Southampton Itchen
- Andrew Pakes Labour Peterborough
- Priti Patel Conservative Witham
- Matthew Patrick Labour Wirral West
- Rebecca Paul Conservative Reigate
- Michael Payne Labour Gedling
- Stephanie Peacock Labour Barnsley South
- Jon Pearce Labour High Peak
- Matthew Pennycook Labour Greenwich and Woolwich
- Mr Toby Perkins Labour Chesterfield
- Manuela Perteghella Liberal Democrat Stratford-on-Avon
- Jess Phillips Labour Birmingham Yardley
- Bridget Phillipson Labour Houghton and Sunderland South
- Chris Philp Conservative Croydon South
- Al Pinkerton Liberal Democrat Surrey Heath
- David Pinto-Duschinsky Labour Hendon
- Lee Pitcher Labour Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme
- Jo Platt Labour Leigh and Atherton
- Luke Pollard Labour Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
- Joe Powell Labour Kensington and Bayswater
- Lucy Powell Labour Manchester Central
- Gregor Poynton Labour Livingston
- Peter Prinsley Labour Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
- Mark Pritchard Conservative The Wrekin
- Richard Quigley Labour Isle of Wight West
- Yasmin Qureshi Labour Bolton South and Walkden
- Steve Race Labour Exeter
- Shivani Raja Conservative Leicester East
- Adrian Ramsay Green Party Waveney Valley
- Mr Connor Rand Labour Altrincham and Sale West
- Andrew Ranger Labour Wrexham
- Jack Rankin Conservative Windsor
- Angela Rayner Labour Ashton-under-Lyne
- Mike Reader Labour Northampton South
- David Reed Conservative Exmouth and Exeter East
- Steve Reed Labour Streatham and Croydon North
- Ellie Reeves Labour Lewisham West and East Dulwich
- Rachel Reeves Labour Leeds West and Pudsey
- Joani Reid Labour East Kilbride and Strathaven
- Emma Reynolds Labour Wycombe
- Jonathan Reynolds Labour Stalybridge and Hyde
- Mr Joshua Reynolds Liberal Democrat Maidenhead
- Martin Rhodes Labour Glasgow North
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy Labour Clapham and Brixton Hill
- Jake Richards Labour Rother Valley
- Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Labour Suffolk Coastal
- Lucy Rigby Labour Northampton North
- Ms Marie Rimmer Labour St Helens South and Whiston
- Dave Robertson Labour Lichfield
- Joe Robertson Conservative Isle of Wight East
- Gavin Robinson Democratic Unionist Party Belfast East
- Tim Roca Labour Macclesfield
- Matt Rodda Labour Reading Central
- Ian Roome Liberal Democrat North Devon
- Andrew Rosindell Conservative Romford
- Sam Rushworth Labour Bishop Auckland
- Mrs Sarah Russell Labour Congleton
- Tom Rutland Labour East Worthing and Shoreham
- Oliver Ryan Labour Burnley
- Anna Sabine Liberal Democrat Frome and East Somerset
- Sarah Sackman Labour Finchley and Golders Green
- Jeevun Sandher Labour Loughborough
- Dr Roz Savage Liberal Democrat South Cotswolds
- Liz Saville Roberts Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd
- Michelle Scrogham Labour Barrow and Furness
- Mr Mark Sewards Labour Leeds South West and Morley
- Naz Shah Labour Bradford West
- Baggy Shanker Labour Derby South
- Michael Shanks Labour Rutherglen
- Jim Shannon Democratic Unionist Party Strangford
- Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst Conservative Solihull West and Shirley
- Sir Alec Shelbrooke Conservative Wetherby and Easingwold
- Tulip Siddiq Labour Hampstead and Highgate
- David Simmonds Conservative Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
- Josh Simons Labour Makerfield
- Vikki Slade Liberal Democrat Mid Dorset and North Poole
- Andy Slaughter Labour Hammersmith and Chiswick
- John Slinger Labour Rugby
- Lisa Smart Liberal Democrat Hazel Grove
- Cat Smith Labour Lancaster and Wyre
- David Smith Labour North Northumberland
- Greg Smith Conservative Mid Buckinghamshire
- Jeff Smith Labour Manchester Withington
- Nick Smith Labour Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
- Rebecca Smith Conservative South West Devon
- Sarah Smith Labour Hyndburn
- Sir Julian Smith Conservative Skipton and Ripon
- Karin Smyth Labour Bristol South
- Gareth Snell Labour Stoke-on-Trent Central
- Mr Andrew Snowden Conservative Fylde
- Alex Sobel Labour Leeds Central and Headingley
- Ian Sollom Liberal Democrat St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire
- Dr Ben Spencer Conservative Runnymede and Weybridge
- Patrick Spencer Conservative Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
- Greg Stafford Conservative Farnham and Bordon
- Euan Stainbank Labour Falkirk
- Sir Keir Starmer Labour Holborn and St Pancras
- Blake Stephenson Conservative Mid Bedfordshire
- Jo Stevens Labour Cardiff East
- Kenneth Stevenson Labour Airdrie and Shotts
- Elaine Stewart Labour Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
- Jamie Stone Liberal Democrat Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
- Will Stone Labour Swindon North
- Alistair Strathern Labour Hitchin
- Wes Streeting Labour Ilford North
- Alan Strickland Labour Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
- Mel Stride Conservative Central Devon
- Graham Stringer Labour Blackley and Middleton South
- Graham Stuart Conservative Beverley and Holderness
- Dr Lauren Sullivan Labour Gravesham
- Kirsteen Sullivan Labour Bathgate and Linlithgow
- Zarah Sultana Labour Coventry South
- Rishi Sunak Conservative Richmond and Northallerton
- Peter Swallow Labour Bracknell
- Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Party South Antrim
- Sir Desmond Swayne Conservative New Forest West
- Mark Tami Labour Alyn and Deeside
- Mike Tapp Labour Dover and Deal
- Alison Taylor Labour Paisley and Renfrewshire North
- David Taylor Labour Hemel Hempstead
- Luke Taylor Liberal Democrat Sutton and Cheam
- Rachel Taylor Labour North Warwickshire and Bedworth
- Bradley Thomas Conservative Bromsgrove
- Cameron Thomas Liberal Democrat Tewkesbury
- Fred Thomas Labour Plymouth Moor View
- Gareth Thomas Labour Harrow West
- Nick Thomas-Symonds Labour Torfaen
- Adam Thompson Labour Erewash
- Emily Thornberry Labour Islington South and Finsbury
- Richard Tice Reform UK Boston and Skegness
- Marie Tidball Labour Penistone and Stocksbridge
- Sir Stephen Timms Labour East Ham
- Nick Timothy Conservative West Suffolk
- Jessica Toale Labour Bournemouth West
- Dan Tomlinson Labour Chipping Barnet
- Jon Trickett Labour Normanton and Hemsworth
- Laura Trott Conservative Sevenoaks
- Henry Tufnell Labour Mid and South Pembrokeshire
- Tom Tugendhat Conservative Tonbridge
- Anna Turley Labour Redcar
- Matt Turmaine Labour Watford
- Karl Turner Labour Kingston upon Hull East
- Laurence Turner Labour Birmingham Northfield
- Derek Twigg Labour Widnes and Halewood
- Liz Twist Labour Blaydon and Consett
- Harpreet Uppal Labour Huddersfield
- Freddie Van Mierlo Liberal Democrat Henley and Thame
- Tony Vaughan Labour Folkestone and Hythe
- Valerie Vaz Labour Walsall and Bloxwich
- Martin Vickers Conservative Brigg and Immingham
- Matt Vickers Conservative Stockton West
- Chris Vince Labour Harlow
- Caroline Voaden Liberal Democrat South Devon
- Christian Wakeford Labour Bury South
- Imogen Walker Labour Hamilton and Clyde Valley
- Chris Ward Labour Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven
- Melanie Ward Labour Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
- Paul Waugh Labour Rochdale
- Chris Webb Labour Blackpool South
- Michelle Welsh Labour Sherwood Forest
- Catherine West Labour Hornsey and Friern Barnet
- Andrew Western Labour Stretford and Urmston
- Matt Western Labour Warwick and Leamington
- Helen Whately Conservative Faversham and Mid Kent
- Michael Wheeler Labour Worsley and Eccles
- John Whitby Labour Derbyshire Dales
- Jo White Labour Bassetlaw
- Katie White Labour Leeds North West
- Sir John Whittingdale Conservative Maldon
- Nadia Whittome Labour Nottingham East
- James Wild Conservative North West Norfolk
- Max Wilkinson Liberal Democrat Cheltenham
- David Williams Labour Stoke-on-Trent North
- Sir Gavin Williamson Conservative Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
- Munira Wilson Liberal Democrat Twickenham
- Sammy Wilson Democratic Unionist Party East Antrim
- Pete Wishart Scottish National Party Perth and Kinross-shire
- Steve Witherden Labour Montgomeryshire and Glynd?r
- Mike Wood Conservative Kingswinford and South Staffordshire
- Sean Woodcock Labour Banbury
- Sir Jeremy Wright Conservative Kenilworth and Southam
- Rosie Wrighting Labour Kettering
- Martin Wrigley Liberal Democrat Newton Abbot
- Yuan Yang Labour Earley and Woodley
- Mohammad Yasin Labour Bedford
- Steve Yemm Labour Mansfield
- Claire Young Liberal Democrat Thornbury and Yate
- Daniel Zeichner Labour Cambridge
Please select an MP from the list, above.You have selected: mp name goes here. Click here to choose again.
PETITION
We’re sending a message to the Home Secretary and Met police chief Mark Rowley that facial recognition has no place in British policing.
We’re urging them to immediately stop using authoritarian live facial recognition, and if enough of us join the call, we can make them rethink. Sign (and share!) here:
SIGN HERE
Biometric Britain
The boom in facial recognition technology in the UK, operating in a largely lawless space, is a mortal threat to privacy as we know it.
To power the fight back, we’ve compiled detailed research and analysis on the spread of this technology – and what needs to be done to combat it. Read more here:
The facts
Tens of millions of people in the UK
SCANNED
Police, shopping centres, concerts, museums, stadiums, bars found to have used the surveillance
There is no law for facial recognition in the UK
3,000+ people wrongly identified by police facial recognition
Facial recognition banned in San Francisco + 13 other cities
Research shows that facial recognition discriminates against women and people of colour.
TAKE ACTION
1
DONATE!
We’re crowdfunding to grow the biggest possible campaign of resistance to an unprecedented Government and retail expansion of facial recognition surveillance in the UK.
2
SIGN THE PETITION
Tell the Met Commissioner and Minister for Policing to stop using facial recognition surveillance now. If enough of us sign, they’ll be under pressure to reconsider the decision. Please share the petition with as many people as you can.
3
SUBSCRIBE
Don't miss out on live facial recognition alerts! Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on campaign actions.
Got a tip? If you have any information about facial recognition surveillance in the UK that might help our investigation, please let us know. Email us at info@bigbrotherwatch.org.uk or text us on Signal at +44 7514913266
Our campaign
We’re leading a national campaign against facial recognition. In 2023, we brought together 65 parliamentarians from across the political spectrum and 32 of the country’s leading rights and race equality groups to stand together against this surveillance expansion and call for an immediate stop to live facial recognition surveillance of public spaces by police and private companies in the UK.
This cross-party action is backed by former Brexit Secretary David Davis MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey, former Green MP Caroline Lucas and former Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti among others.
| Name | Party |
|---|---|
| David Davis MP | Conservative |
| Christine Jardine MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Ed Davey MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Wera Hobhouse MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Layla Moran MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Tim Farron MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Mick Whitley MP | Labour (Former) |
| Jamie Stone MP | Liberal Democrat |
| John McDonnell MP | Labour |
| Caroline Lucas MP | Green (Former) |
| Tommy Sheppard MP | Scottish National Party (Former) |
| Zarah Sultana MP | Labour |
| Valerie Vaz MP | Labour |
| Alistair Carmichael MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Chris Green MP | Conservative (Former) |
| Daisy Cooper MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Wendy Chamberlain MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Sarah Green MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Sarah Olney MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Munira Wilson MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Ian Byrne MP | Labour |
| Dawn Butler MP | Labour |
| Clive Lewis MP | Labour |
| Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP | Labour |
| Nadia Whittome MP | Labour |
| Rachael Maskell MP | Labour |
| Apsana Begum MP | Labour |
| Beth Winter MP | Labour (Former) |
| Ian Lavery MP | Labour |
| Richard Foord MP | Liberal Democrat |
| Richard Burgon MP | Labour |
| Rebecca Long Bailey MP | Labour |
| Andy McDonald MP | Labour |
| Joanna Cherry MP | Scottish National Party |
| Charles Walker MP | Conservative (Former) |
| Marcus Fysh MP | Conservative (Former) |
| Kim Johnson MP | Labour |
| Baroness Bennett | Green |
| Lord Strasburger | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord Clement-Jones | Liberal Democrats |
| Baroness Jenny Jones | Green |
| Baroness Shami Chakrabarti | Labour |
| Lord Strathcarron | Conservative |
| Lord Freyberg | Crossbench |
| Lord Vaux | Crossbench |
| Lord Hendy | Labour |
| Lord Sikka | Labour |
| Baroness Ludford | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord German | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord Beith | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord Marks KC | Liberal Democrats |
| Baroness Hussein-Ece | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord Dholakia | Liberal Democrats |
| Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville | Liberal Democrats |
| Baroness Hamwee | Liberal Democrats |
| Baroness Harris of Richmond | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord Oates | Liberal Democrats |
| Lord Storey | Liberal Democrats |
| Baroness Blower | Labour |
| Baron Davies of Brixton | Labour |
| Baron Woodley | Labour |
| Lord Skidelsky | Crossbench |
| Baroness Fox of Buckley | |
| Lord Alton of Liverpool | Crossbench |
OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE:
We’re fighting to urgently stop facial recognition surveillance from being used in our public spaces, whether by police or private companies. And we’re fighting to win.
HERE'S HOW WE'RE DOING IT:
INVESTIGATION
Our investigation into facial recognition in the UK is ongoing and we put information into the public domain as soon as we can. We work with media partners, including the BBC, to widely publish our findings. We have also passed on all of our findings to the data regulator, the ICO, and pressed them to investigate.
PROTESTS
When we are tipped off about future facial recognition deployments we attend to demonstrate, hand out leaflets, and observe any police/security action. It’s important we observe the police, so we can record and intervene in incidents like this. Want to join in? Sign up to our email updates
PARLIAMENT
We’re taking the campaign to the heart of power. We’ve launched two groundbreaking reports in Parliament, hosting high-profile MPs and Peers. We’ve since supported MPs tabling questions in parliament, we’ve circulated briefings for debates, and we’ve exposed the dangers of facial recognition in evidence for parliamentary committees and government working groups. (Find it all here.) We’ll continue pushing MPs and Peers to speak out against the use of facial recognition wherever we can.
BUILDING A MOVEMENT
We’re leading a national campaign against facial recognition, bringing together the country’s rights and race equality groups and politicians from across the political spectrum to stand together against this surveillance expansion. In September 2023, we issued a call for an urgent stop to facial recognition surveillance by police and private companies supported by over 180 tech experts and organisations.
REPORTS
We’re leading the fight back against the use of facial recognition surveillance in the UK – and our campaign is built on extensive expertise and analysis. We’ve published two groundbreaking reports, in 2018 and 2023, that lay out where, when and how facial recognition is being used and what needs to change.
IN THE MEDIA
What is facial recognition surveillance?
FACEPRINTS
This works by rapidly creating a biometric “faceprint” of your face – sensitive data that uniquely identifies you – much like a fingerprint, and comparing this for similar matches on a database.
Reference databases have been built from various sources including:
- CCTV images of “suspects” or “problem” individuals
- Subsets of the police’s enormous database of 19 million custody images, which includes vast numbers of photos of innocent people
- police intelligence databases, including innocent people with suspected mental health problems and political campaigners
But the possibilities are endless...
YOUR ONLINE LIFE UNLOCKED
Some facial recognition companies even check faces against internet data in real-time, trawling the entire internet to identify any photos of you, posted anywhere.
UK Facial recognition in detail
Seven police forces in England and Wales are currently using live facial recognition on a regular basis, while others have deployed it for large events or on a trial basis.
Metropolitan Police
We have investigated the Metropolitan Police’s use of live facial recognition since ‘trials’ began in 2016. The force announced plans to roll out facial recognition across the capital in January 2020, vowing to begin using it operationally within weeks. These plans were delayed by the Covid pandemic, but in early 2022, the force started to deploy the technology again. Force webpage
The Big Brother Watch team has attended dozens of London deployments and witnessed multiple misidentifications and concerning uses of the technology, including the targeting of Notting Hill Carnival two years in a row, and preventing people with suspected mental health issues, who were not wanted for arrest, from attending a Remembrance Sunday event.
It was in London in early 2024 that Shaun Thompson, a Black community volunteer, was misidentified by live facial recognition technology. Shaun is now bringing a legal challenge against the Metropolitan Police.
You can read the damning Independent Review of the Met’s facial recognition use and related media coverage.
South Wales Police
South Wales Police is the UK's national lead on facial recognition, supported by millions of pounds in Home Office funding. Its use was subject to a legal challenge by Cardiff resident, Dr. Ed Bridges, and in 2020, the Court of Appeal found the technology had not been used in accordance with the law.
The force is deploying the technology across Cardiff and south Wales, as well as loaning the technology to other police forces in the UK. The force has used the technology at festivals, concerts and sporting events. This resulted in fan protests ahead of matches and during. As part of 'Operation Advert', the force deployed the technology 15 times across Christmas markets in December 2023, and made just three arrests. Force webpage
North Wales Police
The force have deployed live facial recognition on three occasions in 2024, including at a football match, scanning over 40,000 people and making no arrests. Force webpage
Essex Police
The force has used the technology regularly since late 2023, largely in Southend. The deployments will have used hundreds of officer hours, yet less than 30 arrests have been made as of October 2024. Force webpage
Northamptonshire Police
Northamptonshire Police first trialled LFR in July 2023, as part of the policing of the F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone Park. Prior to the deployment, the force said it would be used to combat "unlawful protest".
Our Freedom of Information request request found that of the 790 people on the watchlist, just 234 people were “wanted for arrest, either on a warrant and/or suspicion of criminal activity”, making it likely that many people on the watchlist were innocent protesters. There were no positive alerts and no arrests made, despite over 400,000 people being scanned. The force deployed the technology again at the 2024 Grand Prix and again, made no arrests. Force webpage
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
The force has deployed live facial recognition technology four times in 2024, scanning over 320,000 people and making just seven arrests. Force webpage
Bedfordshire Police
The force has deployed live facial recognition technology twice at the River Festival in 2024, scanning over 400,000 people. Force webpage
Other police forces
Humberside Police collaborated with Metropolitan Police to deploy live facial recognition at Hull docks in June 2018. No one was identified (except police officers aka ‘blue list’ for experimental purposes). Link PDF
Leicestershire Police was the first force in the UK to use live facial recognition software. This was at Download Festival in June 2015, where 90,000 festival-goers were checked against a Europol database.
South Yorkshire Police “supported” a facial recognition trial at Meadowhall, one of the biggest shopping centres in the North of England, in 2018. This was uncovered after a Big Brother Watch investigation. One trial lasted 2 days, the other 1 month. On our calculation, 2 million visitors could have been scanned. Read more on BBC, other press and see our FOIs.
Greater Manchester Police secretly conducted a six-month trial at the Trafford Centre March-September 2018 was criticised by the Surveillance Camera Commissioner for being disproportionate. We estimate 15 million visitors could have been scanned. See press coverage, our op-ed and our FOI.
Our investigation found that West Midlands Police used facial recognition at Birmingham’s Millennium Point conference centre in collaboration with police.
Our investigation found facial recognition surveillance had been used at Liverpool’s World Museum following advice from West Merseyside Police – but now both police and the museum deny it.
As well as police forces, private companies are also rolling out facial recognition technology to scan and identify members of the public, largely without their consent or knowledge.
Southern Co-op
The Southern Co-op has been using live facial recognition since 2021 in the south of England. 35 stores across Portsmouth, Bristol, Hove, Bournemouth and London are using the technology to spy on shoppers. To our knowledge, this is the first supermarket in the UK to permanently install facial recognition. The technology is provided by Facewatch.
In 2022, we issued a legal complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office about Facewatch and the Southern Co-op’s use of this technology.
Frasers Group
Frasers Group, owned by Mike Ashley, also use Facewatch’s live facial recognition technology in a number of its stores, which include Flannels, House of Fraser, Sports Direct and USC. In 2023, we wrote to Mike Ashley with nearly 50 parliamentarians, calling on him to stop scanning customers.
PimEyes
PimEyes is an online facial recognition search engine, which trawls the open internet for facial images. The technology allows anyone to upload an image of a person to their website, which is then processed using facial recognition technology to find potential matches from an index of billions of photos from the internet.
PimEyes places no limits on the type of images that may be used for search and has no safeguards to prevent people using their service to extract a library of photos of someone other than themselves, including children. In 2022, we submitted a legal complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office about the risk PimEyes poses to data rights and privacy.
List of private companies using live facial recognition in the UK
| Company | Supplier |
|---|---|
| Booths | |
| Budgens | Facewatch |
| B&M | Facewatch |
| Cadbury Garden Centre | |
| Costcutter | Facewatch |
| EAT 17 | Facewatch |
| Flannels | Facewatch |
| Gatwick Airport | |
| Gieves and Hawkes | Facewatch |
| Gordons Wine Bar | Facewatch |
| Heathrow airport | |
| Hobbycraft | Facewatch |
| Home Bargains | Facewatch |
| Ladbrokes/Coral | |
| Lawrences Garages | Facewatch |
| Leicester Racecourse | Facewatch |
| Londis | Facewatch |
| Luton Town Football Club Shop | Facewatch |
| Manchester Airport | |
| Middlesborough Empire | OYN-X |
| Nisa Local | Facewatch |
| Palm Beach Casino | Facewatch |
| QD Stores | Facewatch |
| Rowans Bowling Alley | Herta Security |
| Ruxley Manor | Facewatch |
| RWB Auctions | Facewatch |
| Southern Co-Op | Facewatch |
| SPAR | Facewatch |
| Sports Direct | Facewatch |
| Symposium | Facewatch |
| The Gym | |
| Tian Tian Market | Facewatch |
| USC | Facewatch |
| Village Wholefoods, Clapham | Facewatch |
| Welcome Break | |
| Whitehall Garden Centres | Facewatch |
Other locations
Waltham Forest
The London council ran a secret trial of facial recognition surveillance for 3 days in 2019, without the knowledge of residents. It used 4 cameras in public spaces, including a train station and the borough’s main shopping street.
Read more
Bradford
We discovered that The Broadway shopping centre trialled facial recognition in August 2018, working with Customer Clever, Omega Security and Axis Communications. Customer Clever tweeted that the trial would identify “problem” individuals and “provide demographic information to the shopping centre”.
Brighton
We found evidence that facial recognition has been used at the Amex football stadium. This appears to be confirmed for the Albion v Crystal Palace match in January 2018.
FAQs
Police use of live facial recognition
How does police use of live facial recognition (LFR) work?
Live facial recognition (LFR) matches faces on live surveillance camera footage against a police watchlist in real time. Before a deployment, the police will prepare a watchlist, which can comprise of police-originated images, such as custody images from the police national database, and non police-originated images, for example publicly available, open source images or information shared by other public bodies.
At the deployment, a camera will capture a live video feed, from which the LFR software will detect human faces, extract the facial features and convert them into a biometric template to be compared against those held on the watchlist. The software generates a numerical similarity score to indicate how similar a captured facial image is to any face on the watchlist. Police set a threshold for these scores, and any matches above this threshold are flagged to the police, who may then decide to stop the individual.
What is the difference between live and retrospective facial recognition?
It is important to draw a distinction between live facial recognition and retrospective facial recognition. Live facial recognition uses a real-time video feed to biometrically scan the faces of members of the public almost instantaneously. Retrospective facial recognition (“RFR”) uses facial recognition software on either still images or video recordings taken in the past and compares the detected faces to photographs of known individuals held on photo databases.
Whilst RFR may have limited use as a forensic investigatory tool, subject to strict regulation, live facial recognition amounts to constant generalised surveillance. The British public would not be comfortable with fingerprint scanners on our high streets; there is no reason we should accept being subjected to a biometric police line-up either.
How have other states regulated LFR?
It is noteworthy that LFR is most enthusiastically embraced by authoritarian regimes, like Russia and China, whilst other democratic countries have taken measures to restrict its use. Several US states and cities have implemented bans and restrictions on the use of LFR and the EU has implemented the AI Act, which prohibits the use of LFR for law enforcement purposes, except in the most serious and strictly defined cases with a requirement of judicial authorisation. States must pass domestic law in order to use LFR and each use must be reported to data protection authority.
This is a far cry from the UK’s unregulated approach and lack of oversight.
Explore the full list of questions and answers here.
Shops' use of live facial recognition
How does live facial recognition (LFR) work in a retail context?
Is LFR is necessary to catch shoplifters?
Is shops' use of LFR just the modernisation of traditional security systems?
Live facial recognition (LFR) matches faces on live surveillance camera footage against a watchlist in real time. Companies add individuals who they want to exclude from a store to a tailored watchlist, which generally comprises of images taken from the customers’ previous visits to a store. Facial recognition software companies also offer ‘National Watchlists’ comprised of uploads of images and reports of incidents of crime and disorder from its customers across the UK.
A camera placed at the entrance of a store will then capture a live video feed, from which the LFR software will detect human faces, extract the facial features and convert them into a biometric template to be compared against those held on the watchlist. The software generates a numerical similarity score to indicate how similar a captured facial image is to any face on the watchlist. Any matches above this pre-set threshold are flagged to shop staff, who then deal with the individual in line with the retailers’ policy.
In the retail context, LFR is often touted as a solution to combat shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. Following the ICO’s investigation of Facewatch, the regulator held that in order to comply with data protection legislation and human rights law, retailers could only place individuals on a watchlist where they are serious or repeated offenders. The evidence we have collated demonstrates that, in practice, members of the public are placed on retailers watchlists for very trivial reasons, including for accusations of shoplifting valued at only £1. This shows that not only are LFR companies not complying with regulatory decisions, but also that the technology being used disproportionately as it is not just targeted at the most harmful perpetrators.
In the Justice and Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on ‘Tackling Shoplifting,’ Paul Gerrard, Public Affairs and Board Secreteriat Director at The Co-op Group, gave oral evidence that the company has no plans to implement LFR because it “cannot see what intervention it would drive helpfully.”1 Gerrard highlighted the ethical implications of employing a mass surveillance tool in a shop, as well as the heightened risk of violence and abuse to retail employees who have to confront shoppers if the LFR system flags them. His evidence reflects our position that there is no place for this invasive software from both the perspective of shoppers and retail workers.
There is also a significant divergence between the level of intrusion associated with traditional security systems versus facial recognition surveillance. LFR is an invasive form of biometric surveillance, which is linked to a deeply personal identifying feature (i.e., an individual’s face) and is deployed in public settings, often without the consent or knowledge of the person being subjected to checks. Additionally, unlike “traditional” blacklists held by shops, which might comprise of photographs of known local offenders, LFR could flag an individual in a shop they have not previously visited, producing a far greater magnitude for surveillance.
The private use of live facial recognition creates a new zone of privatised policing. It emboldens staff members to make criminal allegations against shoppers, without an investigation or any set standard of proof, and ban them from other stores employing the software. Clearly, when errors are made, this has profound implications for the lives of those accused, with little recourse for challenging the accusations. The lack of oversight and safeguards means that vulnerable individuals, including young people and those with mental health issues, are particularly at risk of being included on watchlists and leaves the door open to discriminatory and unfair decisions with significant impacts.
Explore the full list of questions and answers here.
TAKE ACTION
1
DONATE!
We’re crowdfunding to grow the biggest possible campaign of resistance to an unprecedented Government and retail expansion of facial recognition surveillance in the UK.
2
SIGN THE PETITION
Tell the Met Commissioner and Minister for Policing to stop using facial recognition surveillance now. If enough of us sign, they’ll be under pressure to reconsider the decision. Please share the petition with as many people as you can.
3
SUBSCRIBE
Don't miss out on live facial recognition alerts! Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on campaign actions.
Got a tip? If you have any information about facial recognition surveillance in the UK that might help our investigation, please let us know. Email us at info@bigbrotherwatch.org.uk or text us on Signal at +44 7514913266