It's this uneven application of the technology — and the loose rules governing its use — that has legal and AI experts calling on the federal government to set national standards.
Facial recognition systems are a form of biometric technology that use AI to identify people by comparing images or video of their faces — often captured by security cameras — with existing images of them in databases. The technology has been a controversial tool in police hands. “It's going to be something that is going to take a lot of discussion before we think about putting in place,” Dagher said in a recent interview.
According to Robertson, getting the go-ahead from the court, usually in the form of a warrant, represents the “gold standard of privacy protection in criminal investigations.” This ensures a facial recognition tool, when used, is appropriately balanced against the right to free expression, freedom of assembly and other rights enshrined in the Charter.