Update, August 15, 5:50 PM ET: The US Department of Homeland Security has issued a statement challenging some MIT Technology Reviewreports. We’ve updated our post below with his statement and more details.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is looking improve its face recognition algorithms are reportedly planning to use the facial data of migrant children entering the country for education. according to MIT Technology Reviewthe agency intends to collect and analyze facial images of children under the age of 14. John Boyd, assistant director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Biometric Identity Management Office, which develops biometric services for the government, told the publication that the collection includes children “all the way down to babies.”
Programs that collect biometric data and even DNA samples from migrants entering the country typically only apply to people between the ages of 14 and 79. Boyd said the Homeland Security plan was likely made possible by the decision of some of his subordinate offices to remove age restrictions for biometric data collection. Because the information is intended to be used for research purposes and not for actual agency operations, Homeland’s restrictions on biometric data collection do not apply to the program.
Boyd said MIT Technology Review that the agency had not yet begun collecting biometric data under the program, at least as far as he knew, but that his office could confirm that it was funding it. He added that his office takes privacy seriously and does not share information with commercial industry. Data collected by the program can help facial recognition technologies improve their understanding of how faces change as people age. The program could ultimately help authorities locate missing children years later.
However, critics and expectations have raised concerns about collecting data from migrants, many of whom enter the country in hopes of a better life and may feel they have no choice but to consent to the collection of facial and fingerprint data. In this case, it is of greater concern because children cannot give informed consent.
Homeland Security disputes some of the MIT Technology Review’s reports, and a spokesperson told Engadget that the publication obtained the information from a presentation designed to provide an understanding of emerging technologies and their theoretical applications. “DHS does not collect facial images of minors under the age of 14 and has no current plans to do so for either operational or research purposes,” the spokesperson said.
