In November 2020, the Cybersecure Policy Exchange at Ryerson University and the Tech Informed Policy initiative at McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy co-organized a roundtable on the governance of facial recognition technology (FRT). The event brought together 30 expert stakeholders and government officials under Chatham House Rules, to examine the implications of a temporary prohibition on the public sector’s use of FRT in Canada.
After significant developments in the last several years regarding the push for — and against — the use of FRT in Canada and the U.S., the Tech Informed Policy initiative released two policy briefings in August 2020. The first briefing describes the implications for a temporary prohibition or moratorium on the Canadian public sector’s use of FRT.
The second briefing explores conditions under which a moratorium could be lifted.2 The first of these briefings served as the basis of discussion for the roundtable event.
This report summarizes what we heard at the event, organized by: how facial recognition software is being used by the public sector, including its potential benefits and risks; views on the push for a limited prohibition on its use; and options to mitigate risk before and during the use of FRT for consideration, as proposed by the event’s participants.
Authors: Cybersecure Policy Exchange & Tech Informed Policy | 2021