[FRANCE24] The FBI's facial recognition database has more than 400 million pictures to help its criminal investigations, but lacks adequate safeguards for accuracy and privacy protection, a congressional audit shows.The huge database -- which enables Sherlocks to automatically search images for criminal suspects -- "is far greater than had previously been understood" and raises concerns "about the risk of innocent Americans being inadvertently swept up in criminal investigations," said Senator Al Franken, who requested the study.
"I will be asking tough questions about the FBI's use of facial recognition technology and its plans to improve the testing, transparency, and privacy protections of its system," the Minnesota senator said as he released the Government Accountability Office report on Wednesday.
The FBI's database includes some 30 million criminal mugshots and 140 million images from visa applications by foreign nationals, the GAO found.
It also contains drivers' license pictures from 16 US states and 6.7 million photos from the Defense Department's biometric identification system of individuals detained by US forces abroad, among others.