Despite its insistence that the technology would only target criminals, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) should reconsider using facial recognition software to address crime. The potential for abuse may be too high.
Prompted by concerns about crime, Dallas' DART system is experimenting with facial recognition software linked to an offender database. Although officials likely have good intentions, Michael A. Lindenberger is worried about the creep factor: will riders be logged and tracked every time they use the system?
The question is whether DART will restrict its use of the technology to criminal situations alone. "DART says it will build its own database of names and photos, based on incidents in which DART riders come to the attention to DART police. Maybe you get busted for not paying your fare. The police take your picture, and in you go to the database. You get in a fight on the train, and in you go."
While Lindenberger's concerns may be unfounded right now, facial recognition could become yet another way to assault citizens' privacy and anonymity. "Computers at DART could be building a database full of information about each of its riders, forevermore. And someday, if DART wants to find me at 8:30 on a Monday morning, it won't even have to ask its cameras to help. It will have years' worth of my travel habits, and will simply make a guess. It'll be a pretty good one."
FULL STORY: DART should scrap its creepy plan to use facial recognition software
UK Camera Count Triples in 10 Years
The amount of closed-circuit security cameras operated by local councils in the United Kingdom has nearly tripled over the past 10 years, according to a new report.
Induced Demand: Why Highways Still Reign in Dallas
Regional planners and Dallas officials aren't confident that the area's highway-centric worldview (and budget) will change anytime soon. The city's competitiveness in the national job market may be on the line.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Commits to New Security Measures
The DART Board of Directors has ordered the expansion of police and security patrols at transit stations in Dallas, while also considering investments in new surveillance technology on light rail lines.
Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
Car Noise Is Killing Us
It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.
Acceptable Deaths
What can we learn from our Covid response?
New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.
Fare-Free Transit Hasn’t Reduced Car Trips, Data Says
Fare-free transit isn’t the climate change benefit that many have hoped, according to recent writing by David Zipper for Bloomberg.
Redevelopment Threatens Iconic, Affordable Chicago Homes
The ‘workers’ cottages’ are being replaced with larger, more expensive homes, threatening one of the city’s original forms of affordable housing.
City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
Jefferson Parish
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
City of Lakeway, Texas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
