Identified, Tracked, and Profiled: The Politics of Resisting Facial Recognition Technology

This book provides a critical analysis of the politics underlying the rapid globalization of facial recognition technology (FRT), examining the benefits and threats it poses to privacy rights, human rights, and civil liberties. It highlights the uneven influence of the anti-FRT movement, with disproportionate power in Western democracies and limited influence in authoritarian states and low-income countries. The book offers a holistic understanding of the politics behind FRT and concludes with a look towards the future prospects of the technology in the face of growing opposition.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2022
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd

Revealing the complex politics underlying the rapid globalization of facial recognition technology (FRT), this topical book offers a comprehensive and critical analysis of the expanding global market for FRT and the rise of a transnational social movement that opposes it. As the use of FRT for policing, surveillance, and business continues to surge, this book provides a timely examination of both the potential benefits and the significant threats it poses to privacy rights, human rights, and civil liberties. Through in-depth interviews with analysts and activists with expertise in FRT, the book explores the uneven nature of the anti-FRT movement, with disproportionate influence in Western democracies and relatively limited impact in authoritarian states and low-income countries in the developing world.

Chapters in the book offer a global analysis of the uptake and regulation of FRT, providing a holistic understanding of the politics behind this technology. The book concludes with a forward-looking perspective, examining the future prospects of FRT in the face of the growing strength and reach of its opposition. In doing so, it reflects more broadly on the power of transnational social movements and civil society activism to prevent the globalization and normalization of new technologies.

This visionary exploration of FRT is a valuable resource for students and scholars of politics and policy, as well as activists, stakeholders, and policy makers who are interested in the growing power of social movements to resist new technology. By shedding light on the complex dynamics and stakes involved in the global adoption of FRT, this book contributes to our understanding of the evolving landscape of technology and society.

Weight: 278g
Dimension: 143 x 223 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781803925882