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National committee co-chaired by Chancellor Mnookin issues report on facial recognition technology

January 17, 2024

A new report published today by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recommends the federal government take action to address privacy, equity and civil liberties concerns in light of facial recognition technology that has outpaced laws and regulations.

University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, one of the most cited scholars in the nation in the area of evidence law, co-chaired the committee.

“Facial recognition technology generates novel and complex legal challenges and raises a variety of distinct, unsettled legal questions. It also raises complicated social questions about privacy and public and private surveillance, given the highly personal implications of the technology,” Mnookin said in the NASEM news release announcing the report. “It is crucial that governments make tackling these issues a priority ― failing or choosing not to adopt policies and regulations on the development and use of facial recognition technology would effectively cede decision-making and rulemaking on these important questions of great public concern entirely to the private sector and the marketplace.”

Find more information about the report and the committee’s recommendations on NASEM’s website.

Download a copy of the report.

Access a webinar about the report.