Hi there!
What’s Happening?
The ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) exposed a database of over 1,400 public records revealing that the Registry of Motor Vehicles allowed police agencies access to it’s facial recognition system without any external oversight.
The ACLUM also found that police and prosecutors have been using this information for years, often failing to disclose this evidence to defense attorneys.
Why does it matter?
Facial Recognition Tech is racist. It is a discriminatory technology that puts innocent black and brown citizens behind bars. This latest investigation reveals that not only have the police been using this technology without the public knowing, prosecutors have been using it without informing defense teams violating citizens rights to due process.
“These records make clear that government officials have been using the face recognition technology for years, in secret and without any democratic oversight. Our state has taken a first step toward reining in this dystopian technology, but Massachusetts must do more.”
- Carol Rose ACLUM Executive Director
