FBI, ICE plunder DMV driver database ‘gold mine’ for facial recognition scans

The agencies are reportedly harvesting driver license imagery without citizen or lawmaker consent.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are exploiting state DMV records for facial recognition data without the knowledge or permission of drivers.

Georgetown Law researchers, together with the Washington Post, have obtained facial recognition requests, documents, and emails which have revealed a project that uses vehicle ownership and driver license databases for surveillance purposes.

According to the publication, millions of US citizens have had their faces and photos scanned, creating a “gold mine” for the FBI and ICE’s facial recognition pursuits.

No state or Congress decision has authorized the creation of a facial recognition system based on information harvested from state driving databases and license holders have not been asked to sign any form of waiver permitting such searches.

MORE: https://www.zdnet.com/article/fbi-and-ice-are-using-dmv-gold-mine-for-facial-recognition-scans/