Story perspectives

Met Police to Install Live Facial Recognition on Oxford Street

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 2:15 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Metropolitan Police will install live facial-recognition cameras on Oxford Street in December.
Oxford Street receives about half a million visitors each day, making it one of the world’s busiest shopping areas.
The cameras will scan faces and compare them with a watchlist of wanted suspects.
Liberty director Akiko Hart says the rollout will scan thousands of Christmas shoppers without consent.

1 of 1

Story summary

Metropolitan Police will install live facial-recognition cameras on Oxford Street in December.
Oxford Street receives about half a million visitors each day, making it one of the world’s busiest shopping areas.
The cameras will scan faces and compare them with a watchlist of wanted suspects.
Liberty director Akiko Hart says the rollout will scan thousands of Christmas shoppers without consent.