Reliance on FRTs in India is premature. We highlight this whilst acknowledging FRTs’ use cases—in aiding the police’s preventive and investigative functions, in potentially reducing ‘third-degree methods’, and improving the police’s functional autonomy. FRT deployment creates risk and has implications in several areas: accuracy errors, bias, and discriminatory and real-time surveillance. These technologies should therefore be implemented in a modular manner with fair, transparent, and reasonable operational safeguards. As a first step, there should be a clear definition and limitation of purpose and data use, with police training and independent oversight bodies to follow.
Note: This work was done by the author/s when they were a part of the IDFC Institute and is republished here with permission.
