(NextGov) – A growing number of Americans are OK with the facial recognition technology, especially if it increases public safety, according to a national survey released Monday. Conducted on a national poll of 3,151 U.S. adults in December, the survey found only one in four Americans believe the federal government should strictly limit the use of facial biometrics technology. The survey also indicates Americans are more likely to support any apparent tradeoff to their own privacy caused by facial recognition
technology if it benefits law enforcement, reduces shoplifting or speeds up airport security lines. Only 18 percent of those polled said they agreed with strict limitations on facial recognition tech if it comes at the expense of public safety, compared to 55 percent who disagreed with such limitations. “People are often suspicious of new technologies, but in this case, they seem to have warmed up to facial recognition technology quite quickly,” said Daniel Castro, director of the Center for Data Innovation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute that conducted the survey. READ MORE
