ABSTRACT
The same algorithmic techniques that can differentiate faces can also be used to differentiate between black and white and, with time, may also be able to distinguish between young and old and male and female. As many commentators have noted, the rise of video surveillance in public spaces in Britain has been dramatic. The growth in visual surveillance systems creates a vast pool of previously unavailable information. The growth of automated surveillance has been made possible by the intersection of three traditionally separate industries: telecommunications, photography and computing. The limitations of these semi-automated systems ensure that the next generation of traffic cameras will certainly be digitised and exploit computerised image recognition software. The use of automated surveillance systems has fundamental implications for the use of police discretion. The video surveillance camera and heat sensing devices do not differentiate between social classes.
