BSI offers code of practice for ethical facial recognition use

A code of practice for the ethical deployment and use of facial recognition has been published for sale by the British Standards Institute (BSI), the UK national standards body. The code is based on recommendations from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA).

“Facial recognition technology – Ethical use and deployment in video surveillance-based systems – Code of practice” can be purchased from the BSI for the price of £122 for members, and £244 for non-members.

The code of practice sets out six key principles for trustworthy AI use: governance and accountability, human agency and oversight, privacy and data governance, technical robustness and safety, transparency and explainability, diversity, non-discrimination, and fairness. The principles of trustworthiness are derived from OECD and EU guidance, and aligned with UK regulatory policy, according to the announcement.

The code of practice is presented as a standard that applies to the whole supply chain, beginning with an assessment of the need to use facial recognition, and proceeding all the way through continued use.

“The release of the FRT code of practice is a significant moment in the journey towards the ethical use of this AI biometric technology in the United Kingdom, and as the first of its kind in the world, it shows that British Industry is leading the way in this work with a procedural standard written for developers, integrators, deployers and stakeholders of FRT,” says Anekanta Consulting and Anekanta AI CEO Pauline Norstrom, who also chairs the BSIA’s AI & Biometrics Special Interest Group.

“It is different to other standards for AI and biometrics, as a non-technical code of practice that operationalises the principles for trustworthy AI (ethical AI) through the entire value chain making it easy for industry to implement transparently with clear governance and accountability, and arguably with potentially lower impacts, risks and costs. Crucially, the standard contains a metaphorical ‘stop button’ to cease use if impacts cannot be mitigated. It also frames FRT as an AI technology which aligns with the definition of AI in international standards and new or pending regulation.”

Norstrom recently joined a Biometric Update webinar with Corsight AI, explaining the role of the principles and the resources available to businesses seeking guidance as they implement facial recognition.

The BSIA published a guide to the ethical and legal use of facial recognition in 2021.

“Many relevant questions have been asked by privacy groups, industry stakeholders and other interested parties on the appropriate and proportionate use of such technology; this code of practice aims to instil trustworthiness in the use of FRT by setting out key principles covering the whole process from assessing the need to use it, to ensuring its continued operation remains fit for purpose and justified,” says, BSIA Director of Technical Services Dave Wilkinson.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  British Standards Institution  |  ethics  |  face biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  research and development  |  standards