Britain's Big Move: Police to Use More Face Scanners

In the UK, police forces are set to use face-scanning tech more widely to catch lawbreakers. This tech is already in action in London, leading to over a thousand arrests in just two years. It's helped nab rapists, abusers, and violent criminals, plus over a hundred sex offenders who broke their rules. But not everyone's happy about this. Groups like Big Brother Watch worry it's a big step towards mass surveillance. They say the UK is going against European laws that protect people's privacy. With over seven million people scanned last year, they fear this tech could kill privacy for good. The police use this tech at big events like soccer matches and festivals to spot people on their watch lists. It also helps them search through videos from phones, doorbells, and CCTV to find suspects. The government is all for it, calling it a big win for crime-fighting. They want to expand its use to catch more criminals. But they're also planning a public chat to talk about the pros, cons, and how to protect people's privacy. Big Brother Watch isn't holding back. They say the UK is speeding towards a surveillance state that even George Orwell wouldn't believe. With talks of mandatory ID cards with face scans, they're worried about where this is all heading. The government wants to set up a new group to keep an eye on how police use this tech. They're hoping to balance catching criminals with keeping people's privacy safe.