Why Does Microsoft Want a Government Crackdown on Face Recognition?

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. A cogent and forceful argument for the government to regulate face-recognition technology was published on Friday--not by a legislator, pundit, or advocacy group, but by Microsoft. In a lengthy blog post, the Seattle-based tech giant made the case that face recognition is too potent, and comes with too many risks, for the public to leave entirely in the hands of private companies such as itself. The technology, which uses machine-learning software to automatically identify people in photographs and video footage, is increasingly used by social networks and photo apps, and as a security measure on devices like iPhones. It's also being used by a growing number of law enforcement agencies to help identify suspects in crimes such as the mass shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, in June.