5 - Surveillance or Law Enforcement

Facial Recognition and the Expansion of Digital Surveillance

Advances in surveillance technology have significantly changed the role of video in law enforcement investigations. Cameras are now widely used in public spaces, businesses, and transportation systems, constantly recording footage that may later be reviewed by investigators. In the past, surveillance video primarily served as a passive record of events that could help reconstruct what happened during a crime. However, the development of facial recognition technology has transformed the function of video surveillance. Rather than simply documenting events, recorded footage can now be used to identify specific individuals. While this capability has expanded investigative tools available to law enforcement, companies such as Clearview AI have raised serious concerns about privacy, consent, and the growing power of digital surveillance.

Facial recognition technology works by analyzing distinct features of a person’s face and converting them into a digital template. Measurements such as the distance between the eyes, the shape of the nose, and the structure of the jaw are used to create a unique facial profile. This profile can then be compared against images stored in large databases in order to find potential matches. When law enforcement obtains a still image from surveillance footage, they can upload the image to a facial recognition system to determine whether it corresponds to any known identities (ScienceDirect). Because of this process, video footage can directly contribute to identifying individuals who appear in recorded images.

An example of how facial recognition software can work as an alternative to tickets.

One of the most controversial companies involved in this technology is Clearview AI. Clearview created a massive facial recognition database by collecting billions of images from publicly accessible websites and social media platforms (Business Insider). These images are used to match faces captured in surveillance footage with potential identities found online. Law enforcement agencies across the United States have used the platform as part of criminal investigations. In 2026, the federal agency U.S. Customs and Border Protection signed a contract with Clearview AI to access the company’s system (WIRED). The agreement allows agents to compare images against a database containing tens of billions of photographs gathered from the internet. Reports indicate that the technology may be used by intelligence units for purposes such as “tactical targeting” and investigative analysis.

More on the Clearview and CBP deal.

Despite the potential benefits for law enforcement, the use of facial recognition technology has sparked significant debate among privacy advocates and media scholars (Police1). Critics argue that Clearview AI collected images without the consent or knowledge of the individuals appearing in them, which has pushed a plethora of legal cases against the company (Tri-Cities Dispatch). Because many of these images originate from social media platforms or other public websites, people may unknowingly have their faces included in a large surveillance database. This raises broader questions about the relationship between digital media, personal privacy, and government monitoring. If images shared online can be used to identify individuals through surveillance footage, everyday participation in digital media may unintentionally contribute to large-scale systems of surveillance.

As facial recognition technology continues to develop, it will likely remain a powerful tool for law enforcement agencies. At the same time, the example of Clearview AI highlights the ethical challenges that arise when video surveillance, artificial intelligence, and massive online image databases are combined. While the ability to identify individuals through recorded footage may improve investigative efficiency, it also raises important questions about privacy, consent, and the expanding reach of modern surveillance technologies.