Future Tense Newsletter: Scary DIY Gun Kits, a History of Facial Recognition Tech, and More

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Were you among the many Facebook users who received a notification introducing the platform's facial-recognition features last week? That's because, after years of using the software, lawsuits have finally pressured the social network into being more transparent about how it collects and employs this biometric data. Slate's Jaime Dunaway explains what the features mean for you and your privacy. For centuries, creators promised earlier versions of the tech (bertillonage anyone?) would bring about a golden era of accuracy and objectivity in identification.