Google is testing a new security system that uses facial-recognition technology at its campus in Kirkland, Washington — and early reaction from Google employees in the US is mixed.
The interior security cameras collect facial data and are designed to help prevent unauthorized individuals from entering Google's campus, the company said. Google said its security team uses the data to identify people who may pose a security risk.
After news of the system was first reported by CNBC, Business Insider talked to Google employees at various campuses to find out what they thought about the change. The employees requested anonymity to speak freely but their employment has been verified.
One employee who frequently visits the Kirkland office where the technology is being tested told BI that they found out about the new system from reading about it in the news. They said the cameras are discretely placed on ceilings and don't look different from other security cameras.
But the employee said it's a "little dystopian" and people in the office have privacy concerns about the new system.
"A lot are concerned about facial data being stored by Google," the employee said. "Data is extremely valuable."
While people at the testing site can't opt out of facial screening when entering the building, a Google spokesperson said the data is for immediate use and isn't stored. The facial data was initially compared with ID badge images during early testing, but employees could fill out a form to opt out of their badge photo being stored, the spokesperson said. The badge ID images are no longer being used, they added.
Google said the new technology is solely implemented in its Kirkland office at the moment, but employees BI talked to wondered if the system could eventually be rolled out more widely.
An employee who works in the New York office said that they have no privacy concerns with facial recognition technology at the office. They said Google already has security surveillance all over its campuses so this will just make it easier for the security team to do their job.
However, an employee who works in San Francisco said they think the system could be used as a secondary method for monitoring office attendance. That employee said they've been previously flagged for not meeting the minimum number of in-person days.
A Google spokesperson said there were no known plans in place to use the security system for attendance tracking.
The Kirkland employee said some workers suspect the technology is a response to the sit-in protests against Google's $1.2 billion joint contract with Amazon that provides services to Israel's government.
The protest resulted in nine total arrests in Google's New York and Sunnyvale offices, and about 50 employees being fired or placed on leave, according to a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board. Google said in a memo that protesters violated multiple company policies, including its code of conduct and policy on harassment, discrimination, retaliation, standards of conduct, and workplace concerns.
Google's vice president of global security Chris Rackow, said at a staff meeting in May that video camera footage helped identify some of the employees who participated in the protest, CNBC reported.
Google has faced security threats in the past.
In 2018, a woman opened fire and injured three people at YouTube's headquarters in San Bruno, California. The shooter's relatives said that, prior to the shooting, she was "upset" with YouTube because of how her vegan-themed videos performed.
A Google spokesperson told BI that for years, the company has tested and implemented "new systems and protections to help keep our people and spaces as safe as possible." In 2021, Google implemented fences at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, according to local publication Mountain View Voice.
An employee who works outside the Kirkland location said they think the new system would impact people working at larger offices who have experienced "some crazy" situations. They said the new system will "hopefully prevent those events from happening."
"I personally don't have too much of an issue with it and maybe even welcome it assuming it works well," the employee said.
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FAQs
They said the cameras are discretely placed on ceilings and don't look different from other security cameras. But the employee said it's a "little dystopian" and people in the office have privacy concerns about the new system. "A lot are concerned about facial data being stored by Google," the employee said.
Is facial recognition good or bad? ›
While facial recognition can offer many security and authentication benefits, flawed or misused facial recognition systems can put consumers at risk. When a facial recognition system works as intended, security and user experience are improved. But when it doesn't, user experience suffers and people are put at risk.
Which of the following is a major reason facial recognition systems are not reliable? ›
Facial recognition AI is not trained on diverse faces, making it more difficult for the software to correctly identify these faces.
What is the accuracy rate of facial recognition? ›
Facial Recognition Accuracy. So how accurate is facial recognition, anyway? Broadly speaking, facial recognition technology is 99 percent accurate. But our industry as a whole has more work to do to secure that extra percentage point.
What real life consequences can occur due to poor data quality in facial recognition systems? ›
False positives and misidentification can occur, leading to potential privacy infringements and wrongful accusations. As a result, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of facial recognition algorithms is essential to mitigate such risks.
Why are people against facial recognition? ›
It enables the automated and indiscriminate live surveillance of people as they go about their daily business, giving authorities the chance to track your every move. There is no standard policy ensuring the tech can be fairly applied. This regulatory gap leads to abuses of power.
What are two negative uses of facial recognition? ›
Provides opportunities for fraud and other crimes
In consideration of the aforementioned use of facial recognition to place shoplifters on criminal databases, threat actors could even place individuals on a criminal record. Beyond fraud, bad actors can harass or stalk victims using facial recognition technology.
What is the biggest problem in facial recognition? ›
The challenge of security
This brings us to another significant challenge – security. Using FRT poses a significant security threat to its users because it uses biometric data (facial images), which can be easily exploited for identity theft and other malicious purposes.
Is facial recognition invading your privacy? ›
Facial recognition has long been a divisive issue. Proponents say the technology is an effective tool for catching bad guys and verifying who we say we are. Critics counter that it is an invasion of privacy, potentially inaccurate and racially biased — and may even result in wrongful arrests.
Can you avoid facial recognition? ›
Databases may be created from social media photos, so modifying your photos before sharing them is another way to protect your privacy. Use an app that subtly changes your facial features, like the shape of your nose, to make it harder for facial recognition systems to match the modified photo to your original image.
Individual differences in the ability to recognise faces might be related to differences in our brains, for example, how much some brain areas are activated when we see faces and how well certain brain areas work together.
How is facial recognition biased? ›
Racial and Gender Biases
Studies show that facial recognition technology is biased. The error rate for light-skinned men is 0.8%, compared to 34.7% for darker-skinned women, according to a 2018 study titled “Gender Shades” by Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru, published by MIT Media Lab.
How far away does facial recognition work? ›
The critical initial recognition step of this process is believed to occur at approximately 50 feet (Fotios, Uttley, & Fox, 2018). Even at this extended distance, the identity decision is sub-served, in large part, by facial cues rather than body structure (Burton et al., 1999).
Why is Face ID bad? ›
Thieves can threaten or trick you into looking at your phone to unlock it. You can't provide your passcode while you're asleep or unconscious. Without Attention Aware features, someone can use Face ID to unlock your phone while you're asleep or unconscious.
What are the side effects of face recognition? ›
Cons of Facial Recognition
- Threatens privacy.
- Imposes on personal freedom.
- Violates personal rights.
- Data vulnerabilities.
- Misuse causing fraud and other crimes.
- Technology is still new.
- Errors can implicate innocent people.
- Technology can be manipulated.
People's faces are being used without their permission, in order to power technology that could eventually be used to surveil them, legal experts say. Facial recognition can log you into your iPhone, track criminals through crowds and identify loyal customers in stores.
Why is face recognition not safe? ›
Thieves and authorities may threaten or trick you into looking at your phone to access it. If you haven't enabled Attention Aware features, you don't even have to look at the device to unlock it, allowing someone to point your phone at your face and unlock it while you're asleep or unconscious.
What is the concern with facial recognition? ›
However, facial recognition could potentially allow recruiters to find out more about you than you'd realise. Tools like reverse image searches can provide stalkers with more data about their victims. Criminals who have collected enough personal information on you could commit identity fraud.
Do humans have good facial recognition? ›
So just how accurate are humans and computers at identifying faces? Most people are extremely good at recognising faces of people they know well. However, in all of the critical decisions outlined above, the task is not to identify a familiar face, but rather to verify the identity of an unfamiliar face.
