First In US: False Facial Scan Leads To Arrest

Technology like facial recognition is gaining more popularity in law enforcement departments like police. But a case of false arrest because of this technology in Detroit, Michigan of a pregnant woman has drawn flak from people all around showing us the limitations attached to the use of such technology.

Porcha Woodruff, a 32-year-old black woman from Detroit was arrested by six police officers on the charges of robbery and carjacking. The woman was eight months pregnant during the arrest. She spent 11 hours at the Detroit Detention Center where her phone was also seized.

Ms Woodruff was released later in the evening only on a personal bond of $100,000. A month later all charges were dropped against the woman. It was found that the arrest was made because of an automated facial recognition that matched the face of the woman with an accused from the database.

Ms Woodruff is the sixth person in the US to have been falsely accused because of facial recognition technology. All the six people have been black. The police department said that they’re taking the matter seriously and investigating further into it. The technology is being criticized now because of the danger it poses to innocent people.