UK Plans New Rules for Police Use of Facial Recognition
The UK government plans a new law requiring police to use live facial recognition only in an intelligence-led and proportionate way.
The rules are not law yet. Police may use the technology in an area.
They may do this when wanted people may be there. A public consultation supported facial recognition.
People also wanted stronger safety rules. An independent watchdog would check the technology.
It would advise on standards and risks. It could ask a court to stop police use.
This could happen in serious cases. It could happen if police break the rules.
New legal codes are planned. One is for police and one is for private businesses.
Privacy campaigners say the systems scan innocent people. They say this hurts law-abiding people.
The Metropolitan Police said the technology helped make over 3,000 arrests. These arrests were made in the previous two years.
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Independently rewritten, translated, simplified and shortened for this language-learning newspaper. No publisher endorsement is implied. Source publication: 2026-11-04T15:51:04+00:00; last indicated update: 2026-11-04T15:51:04+00:00.
Section: Science