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Microsoft joins rivals, bars police use of face recognition tech

Washington, United States - The moves by tech firms come amid widespread protests over police brutality and concerns that facial recognition technology is flawed, especially in analysing features of African-Americans.

Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it would not sell its facial-recognition technology to police departments until there is a federal law regulating the technology.
"We do not sell our facial recognition technology to U.S. police departments today, and until there is a strong national law grounded in human rights, we will not sell this technology to police departments," the company said in a statement.
This comes a day after Amazon.com Inc said it was implementing a one-year moratorium on police use of its facial-recognition software, halting a business it long defended as many protested law enforcement brutality against people of colour.
The death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody last month, has fanned worries that facial recognition would be used unfairly against protesters.
The moves by tech firms come amid widespread protests over police brutality and concerns that facial recognition technology is flawed, especially in analysing features of African-Americans.
Activists also say the technology tools may use algorithms which discriminate, intentionally or not, against blacks.
"When even the makers of face recognition refuse to sell this surveillance technology because it is so dangerous, lawmakers can no longer deny the threats to our rights and liberties," said Matt Cagle, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.
Congress has been weighing possible regulation of the technology for months.
International Business Machines Corp said on Monday it would no longer offer facial recognition or analysis software in a letter to Congress, while calling for new efforts to pursue justice and racial equity.