Object to facial recognition - tell the Govt and Met Police Commissioner

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Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper

Police Commissioner

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I am writing to express my deep concern and firm objection to the increasing use of live facial recognition technology by police forces across the UK.This form of suspicionless mass surveillance undermines the foundations of our democracy. It erodes the right to privacy, the freedom to protest, and the principle that people should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. No one should be treated like a suspect simply for walking down the street.The Court of Appeal has already ruled the use of live facial recognition by South Wales Police unlawful. Regulators have raised serious concerns. And the European Union has taken steps to ban the technology in public spaces. Yet here in the UK, it is being quietly rolled out - in a legal vacuum, without public consultation, or parliamentary scrutiny.I am particularly disturbed by reports that the police - on top of using the passport database, a huge scandal in itself - scanned nearly five million faces last year, and that facial recognition vans are now being deployed on our streets. This expansion is happening in the shadows - led by police and private companies, often in partnership, and speaks to the public being treated with absolute contempt.The technology itself is deeply flawed. Evidence shows it misidentifies women, ethnic minorities, and young people at significantly higher rates - leading to wrongful stops, reputational harm, and a breakdown of trust. There is no meaningful accountability, and little evidence that this technology is effective in solving or preventing crime.Even more worrying is the scope creep. What began at protests and football matches is already extending to high streets, so what next? Schools, job centres, and beyond? You are normalising surveillance in everyday life without public consent.Whether you intend it or not, you are quickly taking the British public into a digital panopticon - with facial recognition, digital ID systems, and expansive surveillance powers all feeding into a system of control, not safety.This use of facial recognition will ultimately backfire, undermining public trust in both the government and police. It is important to remember that policing in Britain rests on consent and, with an increasingly alienated population, tackling crime will become even more difficult. I urge you to bring the use of facial recognition technology to a speedy end. It has no place in a democratic society.<div></div>

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