UK Police to Expand Use of Facial Recognition Tech, Sparking Controversy

The UK government plans to deploy 10 facial recognition vans across seven police forces in England to help identify sex offenders and those wanted for serious crimes. This has sparked concerns from human rights groups who argue the technology is discriminatory and prone to misidentification, potentially leading to wrongful arrests. While the government cites independent testing showing accuracy and no ethnic bias, critics point to evidence suggesting lower accuracy for people of color. A public consultation and new legal framework are promised, but rights groups call for the immediate scrapping of the plan until adequate safeguards are in place.