Story perspectives

Councillors Clash Over Facial Recognition's Privacy Risks

12/4/2025

Summary

Story summary

Woking Borough Council councillors criticized Surrey Police's use of facial recognition cameras, and a cross-party group including independent, Labour, and Liberal Democrat members urged suspension due to privacy concerns and disproportionate impact on ethnic minority communities.
Surrey Police defended the technology as essential for public safety and noted that two arrests have been made using the cameras.
The facial recognition vans were deployed on 13 November in Surrey and Sussex.

1 of 1

Story summary

Woking Borough Council councillors criticized Surrey Police's use of facial recognition cameras, and a cross-party group including independent, Labour, and Liberal Democrat members urged suspension due to privacy concerns and disproportionate impact on ethnic minority communities.
Surrey Police defended the technology as essential for public safety and noted that two arrests have been made using the cameras.
The facial recognition vans were deployed on 13 November in Surrey and Sussex.