CBSA’s ReportIn app uses facial recognition to track deportees

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The Canada Border Services Agency plans to launch ReportIn this fall, a smartphone app leveraging facial recognition and location tracking to monitor individuals ordered to be deported. Experts warn of weak consent, algorithmic secrecy and bias risks, raising human rights and privacy concerns ahead of its deployment.[AI generated]

Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?

The CBSA's facial recognition app involves an AI system (facial comparison algorithm) used for monitoring and enforcement purposes. The article does not report any actual harm occurring yet but highlights credible concerns about privacy violations, consent issues, potential bias and errors, and human rights impacts. These concerns indicate plausible future harm stemming from the AI system's use. Since no direct or indirect harm has yet materialized, the event fits the definition of an AI Hazard rather than an AI Incident. The detailed discussion of risks and the planned deployment of the system justify this classification.[AI generated]
AI principles
AccountabilityFairnessPrivacy & data governanceRespect of human rightsTransparency & explainability
Industries
Government, security, and defenceDigital security
Affected stakeholders
Other
Harm types
Human or fundamental rightsPsychological
Business function:
Compliance and justice
AI system task:
Recognition/object detectionEvent/anomaly detection

Articles about this incident or hazard