Citation
GAO, Facial Recognition Technology: Privacy and Accuracy Issues Related to Commercial Uses, (GAO-20-522) (July 13, 2020) (full-text).
Overview
Facial recognition technology can verify or identify an individual from a facial image. Advocacy groups and others have raised privacy concerns related to private companies' use of the technology, as well as concerns that higher error rates among some demographic groups could lead to disparate treatment.
The GAO was asked to review the commercial use of facial recognition technology and related accuracy and privacy issues. Among other issues, this report examines how companies use the technology, its accuracy and how accuracy differs across demographic groups, and how privacy issues are addressed in laws and industry practices.
The GAO reiterates its previous suggestion from a 2013 report (GAO-13-663) that Congress consider strengthening the consumer privacy framework to reflect changes in technology and the marketplace.