Wrongfully Accused: Robert Williams and the Pursuit for Justice in Facial Recognition Technology”.

Robert Williams, a man who was wrongfully accused of shoplifting and whose driver’s license photo was incorrectly flagged as a possible match for a suspect seen on security video, has reached a settlement with the city of Detroit. As part of the settlement, Detroit has agreed to pay $300,000 to Williams and implement changes to how police use facial recognition technology in solving crimes.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan law school announced the agreement, arguing that facial recognition technology is flawed and racially biased. They also emphasized that Detroit police will no longer be allowed to make arrests based solely on facial recognition results or photo lineups generated from a facial recognition search. Instead, they will need to gather additional evidence before proceeding with an arrest.

Detroit police have been required to review cases from 2017 to 2023 in which facial recognition technology was used. If an arrest was made without independent evidence, a prosecutor will be notified. This move aims to ensure that individuals are not pressured into pleading guilty based on facial recognition scans and lineup results. Chief James White had previously announced new policies regarding the use of the technology after a woman who was eight months pregnant was falsely charged with carjacking.

Overall, this agreement aims to address concerns surrounding the use of facial recognition technology by implementing new protocols and safeguards to prevent wrongful arrests and unjust outcomes. Williams expressed hope for a better world while also voicing his desire for the technology not to be used at all.