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Microsoft announces it will not sell facial recognition software to police

Wraith

Wraith

Member
Jun 28, 2018
8,892

ACLU @ACLU 4m

BREAKING: Microsoft just announced it will not sell face recognition technology to the police.

Microsoft won't sell police its facial-recognition technology, following similar moves by Amazon and IBM (WaPo)
Microsoft joined the list of tech giants who've decided to limit the use of its facial-recognition systems, announcing that it will not sell the controversial technology to police departments until there is a federal law regulating the technology.

The move, announced by Microsoft president Brad Smith at a Post Live event Thursday morning, follows similar decisions by Amazon and IBM, and comes as protesters across the nation press for an end to police brutality and racial profiling.

Smith said that Microsoft has not sold its facial-recogntion technology to law enforcement.

"The bottom line for us is to protect the human rights of people as this technology is deployed," Smith said.
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Hyun Sai

Hyun Sai

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,562
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Komo

Komo

Info Analyst
Verified
Jan 3, 2019
7,110
So that's Amazon, Microsoft, IBM all not selling to police. Who else is there on the market other then Facebook.
 
captainmal01

captainmal01

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,339
A nothing policy if the police get it from resellers, even then Microsoft are still helping other woeful organisations like ICE (since October maybe it's changed).
 
nekkid

nekkid

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
21,823
I wonder if they have influence within the reseller channel? I guess they'll threaten unfavourable targets/rates.
 
jelly

jelly

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
33,841
Is the tech already mature enough it doesn't really matter, it's out there and China is full on with it, cat is out the bag.

Still, appreciate companies taking stand.
 
Cake Boss

Cake Boss

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,068
Microsoft will just sell it to a 3rd party who then in return sell it to the police, like they do for a lot of their cloud software.
 
kiguel182

kiguel182

Member
Oct 31, 2017
9,440
I don't believe that will stick but at least the protests are doing something. I'm happy to see it.
 
Canucked

Canucked

Comics Council 2020 & Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,415
Canada
They aren't gonna sell it. It's actually part of Cops with Gold. Monthly sub includes tracking software and, oddly, Blinx the Timekeeper.
 
MikeOfAllTrades

MikeOfAllTrades

Member
Oct 27, 2017
375
I figure this would need Microsoft support to integrate into existing systems. I.e., not an out of the box solution that is easily resold. And if it were, licensing becomes an issue.
 
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