How to Know If Your College Is Using Facial Recognition to Monitor People on Campus
An increasing number of colleges and universities have begun to use biometric surveillance as a way to monitor students while they are on campus. The problem is that not all of them report 100% surveillance. This week, digital rights organization Fight for the Future released a report to nearly 100 different colleges and universities across the country to shed light on how the technology is being used in some of those locations.
The list shows which universities have publicly stated that they will not use facial recognition, as well as those that have stated that they are already using or are considering it. There is a button next to each entry that you can click on to tweet that college to give your opinion on the matter.
In addition to a place to tweet about your university, the site also offers the option for campus groups to sign an open letter asking the college or university to ban facial recognition on campus, as well as a place to sign a petition.
The petition is pretty short and sweet and reads:
“Face recognition technology is biased, aggressive and violates my fundamental rights. I urge administrators to clarify their current policies and use of facial recognition and work with students and staff to end the use of facial recognition on college campuses except for personal use (such as phone unlocking) or for ethical research. I also urge my representatives to pass legislation prohibiting the government from using this dangerous technology to spy on the American public. “
If you are spending time on a college campus as a student, teacher, parent, or even just a friend, then it is worth checking the list to see how your school is on this issue. If he’s in a place you don’t like, reach out and give your opinion. The more people in a college or university learn that they are opposed to its current policies, the more likely they are to change in the future.