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The Guardian World1 min read
Case lost against Met Police over live facial ID
TL;DR
A High Court challenge against the Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition technology has been lost by two claimants. Concerns were raised about potential arbitrary and discriminatory use of the technology.
Key points
- High Court challenge against Metropolitan Police lost
- Claimants raised concerns over facial recognition use
- Thompson was misidentified by the technology
- Scotland Yard defended the legality of the policy
- Challenge focused on live facial recognition technology
Mentioned in this story
Metropolitan PoliceShaun ThompsonSilkie CarloBig Brother Watch
Two people have lost a High Court challenge against the Metropolitan Police over its use of live facial recognition technology (LFR) in London.
Youth worker Shaun Thompson and Silkie Carlo, from campaign group Big Brother Watch, brought the claim over concerns that facial recognition could be used arbitrarily or in a discriminatory way.
Lawyers for the pair told a hearing earlier this year that facial recognition was "similar to a DNA profile".
Scotland Yard defended the legal challenge, brought over its LFR from September 2024, telling the court in London that the policy was lawful.
One of the claimants, Thompson, was misidentified by the technology.
Lawyers argued the plans to mount permanent installations in the capital would make it "impossible" for Londoners to travel without their biometric data being taken and processed.
Lord Justice Holgate and Mrs Justice Farbey said in a judgment that "in the context of promoting law and order in a large metropolis, the policy provides the claimants with an adequate indication of the circumstances in which LFR will be used and enables them to foresee, to a degree that is reasonable in the circumstances, the consequences of travelling in an area of London where LFR is in use".
The 74-page ruling added that the "risk and potential scope for discrimination on grounds of race was no more than faintly asserted".
The judges also said that Thompson and Carlo's human rights had not been breached.
Plans set out by the Home Office in January will increase the number of vans from 10 to 50 and make them available to all forces across the two nations.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said the High Court ruling was a "significant and important victory for public safety".
He added: "The courts have confirmed our approach is lawful. The public supports its use. It works. And it helps us keep Londoners safe.
"The question is no longer whether we should use live facial recognition, it's why we would choose not to."
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Q&A
What was the outcome of the High Court challenge against the Metropolitan Police's facial recognition technology?
The High Court challenge was lost by the claimants, Shaun Thompson and Silkie Carlo.
What concerns were raised about the use of live facial recognition technology in London?
Concerns included the potential for arbitrary and discriminatory use of the technology.
Who were the claimants challenging the Metropolitan Police's facial recognition policy?
The claimants were youth worker Shaun Thompson and Silkie Carlo from the campaign group Big Brother Watch.
