Page 96 - Cyber Defense eMagazine March 2024

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And one can only hope that the technology is as reliable as it is advertised to public and private decision
makers. In reality, the technology is based on a probabilistic model that matches patterns but is prone to
error. As more data sources are added, these errors can be magnified, with disastrous consequences.
Even more so when decision makers rely on the technology without questioning its reliability.

These errors are not just hypothetical. The story of Alonzo Sawyer, a Maryland man, shows them clearly,
as Eyal Press wrote for The New Yorker. A web of legal and emotional problems engulfed Sawyer after
a facial recognition system misidentified him. The system's decision was upheld despite the obvious age
and physical differences between him and the actual perpetrator that a normal person could see with the
naked eye. A probation officer's hasty and erroneous confirmation, along with his denial of the possibility
that the facial recognition system could be wrong, made matters worse. The criminal justice system has
been a terrifying ordeal for Sawyer and his family. They have been confused, frightened, and forced to
defend his innocence. They have been the victims of a reliance on technology that is not always reliable.

A tragic tale, Sawyer's story is also a rallying cry for those in positions of authority, calling for swift
introspection and decisive action. We must confront the frightening questions that loom large in the
shadow of technology. What moral limits should be placed on the use of a technology that is so
ubiquitous? What rights and limitations should people have over their digital identities? To what extent
should we, the people, allow our governments to use unreliable technology to make decisions that can
destroy citizens' lives without apology? These are pressing questions that demand immediate answers
as AI rapidly permeates our lives and work.

At this crossroads, the answers to these questions will shape the course of our lives and those of
generations to come. We must consider the ethical issues raised by facial recognition technology. Finding
a middle ground between technological advances and concerns for social justice and human rights is
essential. At a minimum, there must be honest disclosure of how models are trained, the sources of data,
and independent, ongoing testing and monitoring of the performance of such models.

The speed at which new technologies are being developed will not allow time for reflection. Every second
that passes without clear moral standards and strong systems of governance is a step toward a future
where our lives are just data points in a vast surveillance network that is as unchecked as it is flawed.

We cannot autopilot our future. We can and should steer technology toward a future that values and
protects people's right to privacy and freedom of choice. We must ensure that the legacy we leave behind
is one of clarity, honesty, and a strong commitment to the fundamental values that make us human. The
story of Alonzo Sawyer and the many others who could be caught in the web of facial recognition
technology is a stark warning of how important this is. Now is the time to act.

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