Campaigners describe move as a ‘slide into a dystopian nightmare’
The UK’s first permanent live facial recognition (LFR) cameras are set to be installed in south London as part of a Metropolitan Police pilot scheme aimed at identifying and apprehending criminals.
The cameras will be permanently placed on two roads in central Croydon and will scan faces in real-time, matching them against a police database of individuals wanted for serious offences. The initiative, reported by The Times, marks a significant expansion of LFR technology, which has previously been deployed only on a temporary basis during major events.
However, privacy campaigners have strongly opposed the decision, warning that it represents a worrying shift towards increased surveillance and government overreach. Some have gone so far as to call it a “steady slide into a dystopian nightmare.”
How will the cameras work?
The cameras, which will be attached to lampposts or buildings, will scan passersby and cross-check their faces against a police database. If a match is detected, officers stationed nearby will be alerted and can intervene in real-time.
Mitch Carr, the Metropolitan Police’s neighbourhood policing superintendent for south London, wrote to community leaders earlier this month confirming the plans.
“I am currently working with the central team to install fixed LFR cameras in Croydon town centre,” he stated. “This will mean our use of LFR technology will be far more embedded as a ‘business as usual’ approach rather than relying on the availability of the LFR vans that are in high demand across London.”
Carr emphasised that the cameras would only be activated when officers were present on the ground to respond to alerts.
“The end result will see cameras covering a defined area and will give us much more flexibility around the days and times we can run the operations,” he added.
A controversial expansion of facial recognition technology
LFR technology has been used by the Metropolitan Police on several occasions in recent years, including during high-profile events such as the King’s coronation, where cameras were deployed near Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the Royal Mile to monitor crowds and identify suspects.
According to the Met, the use of LFR technology has contributed to over 500 arrests in the past year alone. The force claims that these arrests have included individuals suspected of serious crimes such as stalking, domestic abuse, and rape.
Chris Philp, the Conservative MP for Croydon South and the shadow home secretary, has welcomed the initiative.
“This technology means wanted criminals are unable to wander round town and city centres without getting caught,” he told The Times.
However, civil liberties groups have raised significant concerns about the expansion of facial recognition surveillance, arguing that it lacks proper oversight and risks violating individuals’ rights to privacy.
‘A step towards mass surveillance’
Rebecca Vincent, interim director of the privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, described the deployment of permanent facial recognition cameras as a dangerous precedent.
“This marks a worrying escalation in the use of LFR with no oversight or legislative basis,” she said.
“It’s time to stop this steady slide into a dystopian nightmare and halt all use of LFR technology across the UK until legislative safeguards are introduced.”
Big Brother Watch and other campaigners have long criticised the reliability of facial recognition software, citing concerns over misidentifications, racial biases, and the potential for unlawful data retention.
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Earlier studies have suggested that LFR technology can be inaccurate, with a higher rate of false positives for ethnic minorities. In 2020, an independent review of the Met’s use of facial recognition found that the technology was “highly likely” to be unlawful in its current form due to a lack of clear legal framework governing its use.
The future of facial recognition in the UK
Despite the backlash, it appears likely that the use of LFR technology will continue to expand across the UK. The Home Office has been a strong advocate for its implementation, arguing that it provides an effective tool for law enforcement in preventing crime and capturing dangerous offenders.
However, the installation of permanent facial recognition cameras in Croydon signals a new phase in the debate over public surveillance, raising serious ethical and legal questions.
For now, residents of south London will be the first in the UK to experience live facial recognition technology operating on a permanent basis. Whether this approach will lead to a safer community or a loss of civil liberties remains a deeply divisive issue.
