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NYPD Facial Recog Unit Uses Facebook And Instagram To Track Down Suspects
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 25, 2013
Modified Mar 25, 2013
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By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 25, 2013
Modified Mar 25, 2013
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In the latest example of social media's unintended consequences, the NYPD's Facial Recognition Unit is mining Facebook and Instagram to investigate crime. (This is why we never use the "mugger" filter when Instagramming our lunch.) Of course, we knew that the NYPD's Gang Division has been scouring social media as part of "Operation Crew Cut" but now DNAinfo reports that the department is using facial recognition technology to match photos of suspects found on social media to images in online databases. Next step, facial precog!
Here's one recent example: A woman reported that the boyfriend of one of her acquaintances had stolen her jewelry on the street. According to DNAinfo, she didn't know the guy's name, but she showed investigators a photo of the suspect on his girlfriend's Facebook page. The Facial Recognition Unit used the photo to search surveillance images, mug shots and other databases for the perp's face and got a match. The technology "zeroes in on features and extracts size and shape of eyes, noses, cheekbones and jaws to find a match."
Of course, the technology isn't the answer to everything—once the match is made, prosecutors still have to deal with antiquated courts and judges and due process. But it's only a matter of time before the government requires mandatory microchip implants on all citizens so that when the Facial Recognition Unit finds a match, snipers drones can use GPS to quickly get in position for a kill shot.
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facial recognition unit
nypd
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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