BIAS IN, BIAS OUT: WHY LEGISLATION PLACING REQUIREMENTS ON THE PROCUREMENT OF COMMERCIALIZED FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY MUST BE PASSED TO PROTECT PEOPLE OF COLOR

Headnote

ABSTRACT

Facial recognition technology is increasingly ever-present in today's society, shaping and redefining integral aspects of human life. While this ubiquitous technology was created to be objective and neutral in its application, it is not immune to discriminatory biases. These biases have led to a highly disturbing situation, where, while being used disproportionately on People of Color, facial recognition technology is also disproportionately misidentifying these individuals as criminals. Meanwhile, commercial facial recognition technology continues to be procured by law enforcement agencies for policing and intelligence purposes.

This Note argues that Congress must pass legislation amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation and place requirements on the procurement of commercial facial recognition technology in order to protect People of Color. This Note also proposes language for the legislation. Ultimately, the solution proposed by this Note is vital to help mitigate the disparate impact that the use of biased facial recognition technology will have on People of Color.

I. Introduction...........................................................................................64

II. An Overview of Facial Recognition Technology..................................67

A. The Inner Workings of Facial Recognition Technology.................68

B. Perpetuating Discrimination Through Algorithmic and Implicit Biases............................................................................69

1. Algorithmic Biases......................................................................69

2. Implicit Biases.............................................................................71

C. Procurement of Facial Recognition Technology by the Federal Government.............................................................72

D. Recently Proposed Legislation Limiting Facial Recognition Technology..................................................................74

III. Algorithmic and Implicit Biases Will Cause the Use of Facial Recognition Technology to Have a Disparate Impact on People of Color....................................................................75

A. Flawed Technology: Hair Follicle Drug Test..................................77

B. Implicit Biases Affecting the Use of Unbiased Technology: Automatic License Plate Readers.....................................................78

C. Implicit Biases Affecting the Use of Flawed Technology: Roadside Drug Tests.........................................................................79

IV. Legislation Passed by Congress Can Result in the Procurement of More Equitable Facial Recognition Technology..............................80

A. Proposed Language for Legislation Regulating the Procurement of Facial Recognition Technology ......................81

B. Legislation Amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Is More Likely to Be Passed, Will Have a Broader Reach Across All Agencies, and Will Likely Stand the Test of Time Compared to Agency Regulations or Change at the Behest of an Executive Order................................................86

V. Conclusion.............................................................................................88

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION

On the morning of April 25, 2019, Brown University student Amara K. Majeed awoke to death threats.1 Majeed's photo had been associated with the name of a suspected terrorist, tied to an attack in Sri Lanka that killed...