ADAPT Radio: Facial Recognition - Innovation or Invasion?

“I think we need to be much more privacy protective around all of these new, digital data driven technologies” – Ciara Bracken-Roche

ADAPT Radio’s latest episode explores the complexities of AI-powered facial recognition technology, examining its growing presence in daily life and law enforcement. While the technology offers potential benefits, including increased efficiency in policing, it also raises serious ethical, legal, and human rights concerns.

Experts Dr. Ciara Bracken-Roche, Assistant Professor in the School of Law and Criminology at Maynooth University, and Olga Cronin from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Ottawa join the discussion, highlighted issues such as AI bias, false positives, and the risks of mass surveillance. They stress the need for robust legal safeguards and public awareness as governments consider implementing facial recognition in policing.

The episode also explores recent reports from the AI Advisory Council and the Oireachtas Justice Committee, which question the reliability of the technology and call for greater transparency in its use. The debate over facial recognition in Ireland has intensified, particularly after the Dublin riots of late 2023, which reignited discussions on its role in public security.

As concerns grow over privacy and algorithmic bias, the experts emphasise that real-world conditions make facial recognition far from foolproof. They argue that reliance on high accuracy claims without context can lead to dangerous policy decisions. With many questions still unanswered about how the Irish government plans to regulate the technology, this episode of ADAPT Radio provides a timely and critical analysis of the challenges ahead. Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud or Spotify.