Europe's Not Prepared Enough for Facial Recognition Technology

That's the verdict of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, whose 36-page paper published Wednesday says the region needs stronger rules governing the use of such technology by states, be it at national borders or in public spaces. "Given the novelty of the technology as well as the lack of experience and detailed studies on the impact of facial recognition technologies, multiple aspects are key to consider before deploying such a system in real life applications," the Vienna-based agency said. The body, which analyzes topics ranging from artificial intelligence to children's rights, put out its report as EU law enforcement authorities multiply facial recognition tests in Berlin, Nice and London and at airports in Amsterdam, Dublin and Paris. The technologies -- developed by private firms and customized for states or companies, have yet to show they are fail-safe. The EU's new Commission, whose mandate begins in December, has among its goals a plan to build a "Europe fit for the Digital Age." An internal policy document by the Commission detailed the steps the EU should take to master AI technologies, including facial recognition.