Majority oppose the use of facial recognition technology

News Release

Six out of ten New Zealanders oppose the use of facial recognition technology by social media websites such as Facebook, Unisys Security Index finds

But the vast majority support facial recognition technology being used to fight crime and protect borders

New Zealanders’ support for the use of facial recognition technology varies greatly, depending upon the circumstances in which it is used, according to the latest Unisys Security Index™.

The national survey of 543 adult New Zealanders conducted in February 2012 by Consumer Link, found 61 percent of respondents do not support the use of facial recognition technology to make it easier for Facebook users to identify or tag friends in photos. However, support for the use of the same technology for policing or border security purposes, surged to more than 90 percent.

“The research findings clearly show that the New Zealand public varies its support of facial recognition technology depending on when, where and why it is being used,” said Mr Scott Basham, Unisys’ Asia Pacific Program Manager for Location, Perimeter and Surveillance Security. “There is very strong support for facial recognition technology but only in those circumstances that New Zealanders deem to be appropriate such as policing or protecting borders.”

The vast majority of New Zealanders responded that they supported airport customs or immigration staff using facial recognition to identify passengers on police watch-lists, 96 percent said they found this acceptable while only 3 percent did not.

In addition, 93 percent of respondents said they supported police using facial recognition technology to help identify people from security camera footage or video obtained from the public. Only 7 percent said that they found this use unacceptable.

“However, when it comes to social media or even employers wanting to use facial recognition technology in the workplace, the level of support fell significantly,” said Mr Basham.

While 68 percent of respondents said they supported employers using facial recognition to identify what parts of a building staff had accessed and with whom, around three in ten (29 percent) said they opposed the idea.

Only about three in ten, or 31 percent of people surveyed, said they supported the use of facial recognition technology to make it easier for Facebook users to identify and tag friends in photos.

“Surveillance solutions are becoming more sophisticated, and we are increasingly seeing them used to cross reference information held in other systems and databases. This includes the use of facial recognition technology to match a face against a watch-list of known people. These research results show that the New Zealand public’s support for the use of facial recognition varies widely but that they will strongly support it when they can perceive a clear and substantive benefit. When that benefit is less clear, the level of support wanes markedly,” said Mr Basham.

Is it acceptable for facial recognition technology to be used in the following circumstances: Percentage of New Zealand public who support Percentage of New Zealand public who oppose
For airport customs or immigration staff to identify passengers on police watch-lists 96% 3%
To help police identify people from security camera footage or video obtained from the public 93% 7%
For employers to identify what parts of a building staff had accessed and with whom 68% 29%
To make it easier for Facebook users to identify and tag friends in photos 31% 61%

About the Unisys Security Index
The Unisys Security Index is a global study that provides insights into the attitudes of consumers on a wide range of security related issues. Conducted in New Zealand by market research firm Consumer Link, the Unisys Security Index provides a regular, statistically robust measure gauging levels of concern about various aspects of security. The survey on which the latest New Zealand Unisys Security Index is based, was conducted nationally 14-20 February 2012 by Consumer Link using a nationally representative sample of 543 respondents aged 18 years and over. All results have been post-weighted to Statistics New Zealand census data. The study measures consumer perceptions on a scale of zero to 300, with 300 representing the highest level of perceived concern. For more information on the Unisys Security Index including additional resource material visit: www.unisyssecurityindex.co.nz.

About Unisys
Unisys is a worldwide information technology company. We provide a portfolio of IT services, software, and technology that solves critical problems for clients. We specialise in helping clients secure their operations, increase the efficiency and utilisation of their data centres, enhance support to their end users and constituents, and modernise their enterprise applications. To provide these services and solutions, we bring together offerings and capabilities in outsourcing services, systems integration and consulting services, infrastructure services, maintenance services, and high-end server technology. With approximately 22,500 employees, Unisys serves commercial organisations and government agencies throughout the world. For more information, visit www.unisys.com.

About Unisys Asia Pacific
In Asia Pacific, Unisys delivers services and solutions through subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan and through distributors or resellers in other countries in the region. For more information visit www.unisys.co.nz . Follow us on www.twitter.com/UnisysAPAC.

ends

© Scoop Media