ABSTRACT
The facial recognition site PimEyes is one of the most capable face-searching tools on the planet. The search tool stands at the frontier of a new era of facial recognition surveillance: Powerfully sophisticated and available to anyone, with added abilities for those who pay. Facial recognition has become an increasingly widespread investigative tool for government authorities and law enforcement; airports, stores and schools also use it to verify visitors' identities and boost security. Launched in 2017 by a Polish startup, PimEyes advertises itself as “an advanced self-monitoring, self-protection and self-image management tool.” While members of Congress from both parties have talked about freezing government use of the technology, and federal watchdogs at the Government Accountability Office last year urged them to strengthen face-scan laws, the business is still entirely unregulated at the national level.
