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Facial recognition to reduce shoplifting in UK

Facial recognition to reduce shoplifting in UK

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Among other things, digital facial recognition technology will be fitted to cars on high streets in UK cities. Photo: Kelvin Chan/TT/AP

Digital technology to track repeat offenders is part of the UK government's drive against shoplifting.

Any opinions and conclusions contained in the text are those of the author.

This is a short message from Quartals Guardado – The World Every Day.

According to their own estimates, British shops lose £1bn every year to shoplifting. It caused the English government to make a major effort against piracy. More than £55 million is to be invested in facial recognition, a digital technology that can automatically identify ex-offenders. Guardian.1

Among other things, digital facial recognition technology will be fitted to cars on high streets in UK cities. This is not the only step taken by the government against piracy. A new bill would provide significantly tougher penalties for those caught shoplifting Imprisonment up to six months and heavy fine.

Facial recognition is already being used

Many of the UK's biggest retail chains already use it Marks & Spencer, Boots and Primark etc Facial recognition by matching their surveillance cameras with the police database. Critics of the technology say it could lead to breaches of personal integrity, but store chains say it's a necessary step to catch repeat offenders.

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Notes

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/10/shoplifting-crackdown-to-include-55m-for-facial-recognition-tools-in-england-and-wales

Johannes Stenlund is a reporter at Quartal.