We are unbiased in use of data and nobody is surveilled without consent: KTR on facial recognition in Hyderabad

Telangana's IT and Industries minister KT Rama Rao defended the usage of facial recognition in the State and claimed that the government is unbiased in the use of data and that nobody is surveilled without consent.

Speaking on the use of artificial intelligence by governments at a panel discussion of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rao said, "Big challenge in using technologies like Facial Recognition coupled with AI, is for us to be able to gain citizens’ confidence that the government is unbiased in their use of data & citizens are not surveilled unless they have been notified."

The usage of facial recognition in Telangana, for surveillance and in governmental usage, has garnered criticism due to concerns of privacy. Recently, a petition was filed by Hyderabad-based activist SQ Masood in Telangana High Court regarding the usage of facial recognition in the State. The issue of facial recognition in the city was also taken up by Amnesty International in a campaign called Ban the Scan – Hyderabad.

Rao said to gain confidence among citizens regarding the usage of facial recognition, the regulatory powers of each government organisation will have to be clearly identified. “These powers must be given to them in a parliamentary and a fully transparent method,” Minister KTR said.