ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida police chief says three cameras in public spaces are being used to test an Amazon-made facial recognition tool on more than a half dozen officers.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina said Thursday that the officers volunteered to test the technology with the surveillance cameras in the city’s downtown, along with another five cameras in police headquarters.
Mina held the news conference to respond to privacy advocates who asked Amazon this week to stop marketing the tool called Rekognition. Critics argue the tool could have dire consequences for minorities.
Mina says the tool is only being used for a pilot program and that it would never be used against minorities, immigrants or political activists.
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The chief says he doesn’t know if the technology even works yet.