Amazon executives explained to employees 'continue to provide facial recognition software to law enforcement agencies'

by Zhao!

Andrew Jassie, who is CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS) at a staff meeting held at everyone in Amazon, said that it is not legally regulated, although it does not allow abuse of the face recognition API " Amazon Rekognition " As long as it continues to provide customers with law enforcement agencies and other customers.

Amazon Execs Addressed Concerns About Amazon Rekognition And ICE At An All-Hands Meeting
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/daveyalba/amazon-all-hands-facial-rekognition-ice

Amazon told employees it would continue to sell facial recognition software to law enforcement - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/8/18077292/amazon-rekognition-jeff-bezos-andrew-jassy-facial-recognition-ice-rights-violations

It is clear that face recognition software "Amazon Rekognition" by deep learning developed by AWS is sold to police and law enforcement agencies. It is expected to find out the face of wanted burglars from the crowd and to discover terrorists among immigrants crossing the border. Meanwhile, citizen rights organizations have raised opposition from the public if these face recognition software could also develop to the general public's surveillance.

It turns out that Amazon sells facial recognition software to police, and alarm bells are ringing as a possibility of being abused in citizen's surveillance - GIGAZINE

In addition, there was a doubt about the accuracy of Amazon Rekognition, when I actually tested the face of the United States Congressman against the offender photograph database of the criminal, I falsely recognized some face of the parliament as a criminal Results have been reported.

Amazon's face recognition technology mistaken 28 parliamentarians as "criminals" - GIGAZINE

Following this opposition movement, Amazon's shareholders said Amazon letters that Amazon Rekognition is aiming to strengthen law enforcement but may even end up violating citizenship and human rights ultimately. I am sending to CEO Jeff Bezos.

Amazon shareholders submitted a request to Bezos "to stop providing facial recognition technology to the government" - GIGAZINE

Opposing Opinions that Rekognition should not be provided to police and other law enforcement agencies, not only from outside but also from Amazon employees.

How do Amazon employees feel about Amazon selling surveillance face recognition software to police? - GIGAZINE

And Buzzfeed reports the following questions and answers made at the staff meeting.

Q:
About what is expressed about concern expressed by both Amazon employees and citizenship organizations about "Amazon is selling Amazon Rekognition to law enforcement agencies including Immigration Customs Executive Bureau (ICE)" Are you doing?

Jeff Bezos:
Yes. Andy, there is something you want to say?

Andrew Jassi:
Thank you for paying attention to image recognition, face recognition, video recognition service by deep learning of AWS. I think that this is a widely controversial point. I feel strongly that Amazon Rekognition is widespread not only by law enforcement agencies but also to a wide variety of customers in other industries, which is truly wonderful and worthwhile.

The Amazon Rekognition Face Recognition System stops trafficking, reunites parent and child who have survived and separated, used for security and anti-theft security and various authentication, Amazon Rekognition worth within 1 year or 1 year and a half It will come to think that it is something.

Amazon Rekognition has a lot of value. Of course, you must make sure that whatever kind of technology it is used with responsibility. It also applies to new technologies and existing technologies. Think about all the evil being handled by computers and servers. If you do not have a computer, please consider how much our world was completely different.

I'd like to confirm that people are responsible for using technology, but AWS has a set of contracts and services. For all Amazon services including Amazon Rekognition, if users violate the terms of service and use irresponsibly, you will not be able to use Amazon's services. You can not use the service if it turns out to infringe the constitutional right. In the democratic society, I think that clearly indicating guidelines that regulate technology is the responsibility the government should fulfill. If such guidelines are presented, we will comply with it. Thank you very much.