law enforcement

Lawmakers Demand Answers From Amazon on Facial Recognition Tech

Their questions center on potential privacy threats and whether the software is being marketed to law enforcement without adequate precautions

Eight Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers from Amazon regarding privacy concerns with the company's facial recognition software that has been used by some local police departments, NBC News reported

The lawmakers said in a letter Thursday that Amazon had “failed to provide sufficient answers” to questions about the program, called Rekognition, that they had previously presented to the online retail giant.

“We have serious concerns that this type of product has significant accuracy issues, places disproportionate burdens on communities of color, and could stifle Americans’ willingness to exercise their First Amendment rights in public,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter demands transparency regarding Rekognition’s accuracy, biases and built-in “protections.”

Contact Us