Microsoft unveils facial recognition principles, urges...

George Orwell's nightmare vision of the future in his novel 1984 could become reality unless governments are curbed, claims Microsoft's president. Brad Smith has warned that facial recognition technology will lead to dystopian state powers unless new measures are adopted. Microsoft say it has developed a new set of principles for deployment of the technology, called for new laws and industry rivals to follow suit. Mr Smith made the announcement at a Brookings Institution speech and an accompanying blog post, saying it was urgent to begin placing limits on facial recognition to avoid a surveillance state. 'We must ensure that the year 2024 doesn't look like a page from the novel '1984,'' Mr Smith said.