Notting Hill face-recognition technology will be used without bias
In a letter to the commissioner, 11 groups had said the technology is a 'mass surveillance tool that treats all carnival-goers as potential suspects' and has 'no place at one of London's biggest cultural celebrations'.
It also said that LFR technology was 'less accurate for women and people of colour' in certain settings.
Responding to the concerns, Sir Mark said the technology will help locate any dangerous individuals attending Notting Hill carnival over the August bank holiday weekend.
He wrote that when the technology was used at the carnival in 2016 and 2017, it 'did not build public confidence', but has since 'significantly improved' and now performs to a 'much higher standard'.
Sir Mark acknowledged concerns about bias in facial recognition technology, adding that the force has selected the algorithm it uses 'with care' and knows how to use it in a non-discriminatory way.
It comes after the letter, signed by groups including Liberty and Big Brother Watch, said there is 'no clear legal basis' for Scotland Yard's use of LFR.
The letter added: 'Notting Hill Carnival is an event that specifically celebrates the British African Caribbean community, yet the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) is choosing to use a technology with a well-documented history of inaccurate outcomes and racial bias.'
Rebecca Vincent, interim director at Big Brother Watch, said she is 'deeply disappointed' that the Met 'has chosen to dig its heels in' after the call to scrap the 'Orwellian' technology.
She added: 'We all want criminals off the streets, but turning (the) carnival into a mass police line-up is not the way to do it.'
About 7,000 officers and staff will be deployed each day over the weekend.
LFR cameras will be used by police at the carnival to search for people who are marked as being wanted on the police national computer.
Meanwhile, a UK retail facial recognition system has reported its highest-ever monthly total of suspect alerts, its operators say.
In July 2025, Facewatch sent 43,602 alerts to subscriber retail stores – the equivalent of more than 10,000 suspects flagged every week for the first time and a 134.8% increase compared to July 2024 (18,564).
Over the 12 months to July 31, Facewatch said it recorded 407,771 alerts in total, with current live data already showing the rising trend continuing into August.
Nick Fisher, chief executive of Facewatch, said: 'July's record numbers are a further stark warning that retailers and their employees are facing unprecedented levels of criminal activity, including violent and aggressive behaviour.'
A spokeswoman for Big Brother Watch said: 'This technology turns shoppers into walking barcodes and makes us a nation of suspects, with devastating consequences for people's lives when it inevitably makes mistakes.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
23 minutes ago
- ITV News
Government strikes returns deal with Iraq in latest bid to deter small boats
The Government has agreed a new deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants as part of wider moves to limit small boat crossings. The deal, signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis, will set up a formal process to return Iraqis who have arrived in the UK with no right to stay in the country. It comes after an £800,000 deal last year with Baghdad to help the country crack down on smuggling networks and organised crime. Earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer and Iraq's prime minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani agreed to strengthen co-operation on migration. Mr Jarvis signed the agreement during a visit to the UK by Iraq's deputy foreign minister Faud Hussein. The Home Office said the accord would allow the 'swift' return of illegal migrants. Home Office statistics said since previous deals, the number of Iraqis arriving in the UK by small boat has fallen to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year. Mr Jarvis said: 'By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration.' The returns deal is the latest as part of the Home Office's policies to stop small boats crossing the channel. Similar agreements have already been made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came into power. Another deal with France recently came into force, where small boat migrants who have arrived over the English Channel from the French coast can be returned to the country. The small boats migrant will then be exchanged for a legitimate asylum seeker in France who can demonstrate a genuine family link to the UK. The number has been capped, but it is hoped it will act as a deterrent to those crossing the Channel. The latest figures from the Home Office showed 116 migrants arrived aboard two small boats on August 15. Mr Jarvis said: 'This visit reinforces the strength of the UK-Iraq partnership and demonstrates our government's commitment to serious diplomacy that delivers real results. 'As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and co-operation we've built with our Iraqi counterparts.' However, the announcement was criticised by Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp. He said: 'Over 50,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel in Labour's short time in power, the worst illegal immigration crisis in our history. 'Labour has surrendered our borders, and the consequences are being felt in our communities, from rising crime to shocking cases of rape and sexual assault by recent arrivals. 'Now they boast about a measly returns deal with Iraq, but barely any small boat arrivals are Iraqi, and most would qualify for asylum anyway. It's a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring. 'Labour has scrapped Conservative deterrents and created the conditions for chaos, leaving the British people to foot the bill. Only the Conservatives will stop the crossings and restore control of Britain's borders.'
The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
Vauxhall's new all-electric 800hp sports available for test drive in Gran Turismo 7
British brand Vauxhall is taking its all-electric GSE performance sub-brand to a new level, revealing the radical Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo – a fully electric concept car boasting 800hp, a 0-62mph time of just two seconds and a top speed of 199mph. The car, which premieres at the IAA Mobility show in Munich on 8 September, will also have a digital debut in PS5 racing sim Gran Turismo 7 this autumn, in what Vauxhall boldly calls a 'phygital' launch. 'The Vauxhall Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo takes the GSE sub-brand to the next level,' said Steve Catlin, managing director at Vauxhall. 'It not only shows what is possible on a small car platform, it also displays a clear view to the future.' At the core of the concept is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive electric powertrain delivering a combined 800hp and 800Nm of torque. A boost function provides an additional 80hp for up to four seconds to aid overtaking on track. Vauxhall had hinted that the concept has an eye on racing, saying it 'will be very much at home on the racing track and offer a thrilling yet comfortable and safe driving experience'. The concept was created by Vauxhall's design team at the Opel headquarters in Germany, led by Brit Mark Adams, Vauxhall and Opel's Vice-President of Design. Adams has been heading up Vauxhall design for over two decades, and his team was also responsible for Vauxhall/Opel's last show car, the Vauxhall Experimental, which appeared at the Munich Motor Show in 2023. While that car was purely a concept previewing the latest design themes across Vauxhall's model range, this latest concept is taking that on further and could preview a production GSE model that we see sometime in 2026.
The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
Migrant hotel chaos as more councils to consider launching legal action to ban asylum seekers
Ministers could face further legal challenges over asylum hotels after a council was granted a temporary injunction blocking migrants from being housed there. Epping Forest District Council won an interim High Court injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel, arguing it had become a 'feeding ground for unrest' in recent weeks after a series of violent protests resulted in multiple arrests and saw police officers injured. Home secretary Yvette Cooper made a last-minute attempt on Tuesday to halt their removal, arguing that other councils would make similar applications for migrant accommodation in their areas. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hailed the High Court decision in Epping as a 'victory' and said he hoped it 'provides inspiration to others across the country', while the shadow home secretary argued that residents have 'every right to object' to people being housed in their area. Mr Farage indicated that the 12 councils where Reform UK was the largest party would consider legal challenges following Tuesday's ruling. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said the local authorities would do 'everything in their power to follow Epping's lead'. Later on Tuesday night, Conservative-run Broxbourne borough council announced it was considering pursuing its own injunction. The council revealed it would 'take legal advice as a matter of urgency' about attempting to shut down a four-star asylum hotel in the Hertfordshire town. Meanwhile, the leader of South Norfolk District Council, which covers the town of Diss where a hotel housing asylum seekers has also been the subject of protests, said the council would not go down the same route. Conservative leader Daniel Elmer said the council was using planning rules to try to ensure it was families being housed in the area rather than single adult males. He said to do so, which would effectively convert the hotels into hostels, should require a change of use. The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction in Epping could 'interfere' with the department's legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotel's owner argued it would set a 'precedent'. The Bell Hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Reacting to the news on X, Mr Farage said that 'young, undocumented males who break into the UK illegally should NOT be free to walk the streets anywhere. They must be detained and deported'. 'I hope that Epping provides inspiration to others across the country,' he said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested that the migrants housed at the hotel 'need to be moved out of the area immediately', while her shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that 'residents should never have had to fight their own government just to feel safe in their own town'. He said: 'Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object when their community is treated as a dumping ground.'
