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.

Google recently admitted it had employees walking the streets in several U.S. cities asking people if they wanted to sell their facial data for $5 gift certificates. They were using this data to help improve Pixel 4's face unlock system. Now, the New York Daily News reports that Google contractors have been using some very dubious tactics to get people's facial data. According to several sources who were working for the Daily News, a contracting agency called Randstad sent teams to Atlanta with the specific intention of finding homeless people with dark skin. According to the report, the contractors often didn't say they were recording the individual's faces or that they were working for Google.

Charles Camiel looks into the camera for a facial recognition test before boarding his JetBlue flight to Aruba at Logan International Airport in Boston. Charles Camiel looks into the camera for a facial recognition test before boarding his JetBlue flight to Aruba at Logan International Airport in Boston. Passengers at Boston's Logan International Airport were surfing their phones and drinking coffee, waiting to board a flight to Aruba recently when a JetBlue agent came on the loudspeaker, announcing: "Today, we do have a unique way of boarding." On flights to the Caribbean island, JetBlue is experimenting with facial recognition software that acts as a boarding pass. The airline says it's about convenience.