In 2016, Amazon introduced a new feature, Amazon Rekognition. It is an API based on deep learning algorithms and has the ability to identify “objects, people, text, scenes, and activities” by providing a photo or video. One of the most impressive features of the API is the accurate analysis and recognition of a face.
Just a year after the feature launched, Amazon began selling the API to law enforcement agencies, including the Orlando Police Department in Florida and the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Oregon, through Amazon Web Services.
Law enforcement agencies paid $400 to get the data, which includes 305,000 mugshots, into the API, and Amazon charges a minimal fee ($6 per month) for its use, making it cheaper than Netflix.
According to official documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the agencies use the technology to track and monitor the movements of individuals who pose a potential threat to public safety in real time. However, the AI-based technology is prone to error and often makes mistakes in identifying people with “dark skin.”.
The documents reveal that Rekognition has been used by police to identify people. However, the mass deployment of a relatively new and unclear technology has raised concerns among lawmakers and privacy advocates.
On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union, along with more than a dozen other civil rights groups, called on Amazon to stop selling Rekognition to law enforcement. It is believed that the technology could be used to apprehend suspects, but its deceptive nature could infringe on citizens' right to privacy.
