The Face of Surveillance: A Systematic Review of Ethical and Legal Implications in Public Facial Recognition

Abstract

Due to its use of biometric data, which can be abused to exploit people, facial recognition technology (FRT), which is becoming more and more integrated into our daily lives, raises serious ethical and legal problems. To determine these consequences for the usage of FRT in public areas, this research conducts a systematic literature review. The public is frequently harmed by FRT, as seen by the recurrent themes of privacy, bias, and consent that emerged from the analysis of twenty different ethical and legal implications derived from the synthesized literature. Furthermore, the study shows that research on these topics come primarily from a small number of countries, none of which are African. This therefore provides a gap for future research into the potential implications of using FRT in African communities. The findings aim to inform policymakers to protect individual rights and ensure that FRT's advancement aligns with societal values and human rights.

https://doi.org/10.59200/ICONIC.2024.010