Metropolitan Police

Met wins judicial review over use of Live Facial Recognition

BBC News

Challenge over Met Police's use of live facial recognition lost

Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warns against

Royal Courts of Justice

The King (Shaun Thompson and Silkie Carlo) v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and The Equality and Human Rights Commission (Intervener)

Big Brother Watch UK

Responding to todays judgment on the Met polices use of live facial recognition  Big Brother Watch

GB News

High Court challenge to Met Police's controversial use of facial recognition thrown out

Facial Recognition Technology

Facial Recognition Technology in Law Enforcement Equitability Study Final Report

The Guardian

Expert rejects Met police claim that study backs bias-free live facial recognition use

The fight against facial recognition isnt over  support the appeal  Big Brother Watch

BasilTheGreat

GOV.UK

Public attitudes to police use of facial recognition technology

The Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology was upheld as lawful by the High Court in April 2026, with Lord Justice Holgate and Mrs Justice Farbey ruling that the Met's policy complies with Articles 8, 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology was upheld as lawful by the High Court in April 2026, with Lord Justice Holgate and Mrs Justice Farbey ruling that the Met's policy complies with Articles 8, 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The legal challenge was brought by youth worker Shaun Thompson, who was misidentified by LFR near London Bridge in February 2024 after being matched to an image of his brother, and Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch. Both have indicated they intend to appeal.

The legal challenge was brought by youth worker Shaun Thompson, who was misidentified by LFR near London Bridge in February 2024 after being matched to an image of his brother, and Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch. Both have indicated they intend to appeal.

The Met's LFR policy, adopted in September 2024, restricts deployments to three defined use cases: crime and missing-person hotspots, protective security operations and locations where intelligence indicates a wanted individual is likely to be present.

The Met's LFR policy, adopted in September 2024, restricts deployments to three defined use cases: crime and missing-person hotspots, protective security operations and locations where intelligence indicates a wanted individual is likely to be present.

The Met claims that more than 2,100 arrests have been made using LFR, with 24% related to violence against women and girls offences. Over three million faces passed LFR cameras last year, resulting in 12 false alerts, none of which led to an arrest.

The Met claims that more than 2,100 arrests have been made using LFR, with 24% related to violence against women and girls offences. Over three million faces passed LFR cameras last year, resulting in 12 false alerts, none of which led to an arrest.

Independent testing by the National Physical Laboratory found that LFR's true positive identification rate was 89% and differences in accuracy across gender and ethnicity groups were not statistically significant. This data, however, has since been <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://verity.news/story/2025/expert-challenges-met-police-claims-on-facial-recognition-bias">challenged by lead of the academic review</a> as ""insufficient to support the claims being made."

Independent testing by the National Physical Laboratory found that LFR's true positive identification rate was 89% and differences in accuracy across gender and ethnicity groups were not statistically significant. This data, however, has since been challenged by lead of the academic review as ""insufficient to support the claims being made."

This comes as the Home Office <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://verity.news/story/2025/uk-expands-police-facial-recognition-despite-legal-concerns">has announced plans to expand the number of mobile LFR units</a> from 10 to 50, making them available to all police forces across England and Wales. Policing Minister Sarah Jones said the government is "rolling out facial recognition across the country with record investment."

This comes as the Home Office has announced plans to expand the number of mobile LFR units from 10 to 50, making them available to all police forces across England and Wales. Policing Minister Sarah Jones said the government is "rolling out facial recognition across the country with record investment."

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Independent testing by the National Physical Laboratory found that LFR's true positive identification rate was 89% and differences in accuracy across gender and ethnicity groups were not statistically significant. This data, however, has since been challenged by lead of the academic review as ""insufficient to support the claims being made."

This comes as the Home Office has announced plans to expand the number of mobile LFR units from 10 to 50, making them available to all police forces across England and Wales. Policing Minister Sarah Jones said the government is "rolling out facial recognition across the country with record investment."

A UK court backing the Met's facial recognition program doesn't make mass surveillance acceptable — 4.2 million faces scanned in London last year alone is an unprecedented level of monitoring that no other Western democracy has matched. The technology already wrongly flagged an innocent man, who was detained for over 20 minutes and threatened with arrest despite showing valid ID. Rubber-stamping this kind of dragnet surveillance sets a dangerous precedent for civil liberties across Britain.

A UK court backing the Met's facial recognition program doesn't make mass surveillance acceptable — 4.2 million faces scanned in London last year alone is an unprecedented level of monitoring that no other Western democracy has matched. The technology already wrongly flagged an innocent man, who was detained for over 20 minutes and threatened with arrest despite showing valid ID. Rubber-stamping this kind of dragnet surveillance sets a dangerous precedent for civil liberties across Britain.

Basil the Great

Live facial recognition is a proven, lawful crime-fighting tool that has led to more than 2,100 arrests in London, including over 100 sex offenders who would otherwise remain free to harm children. Independent testing confirms the technology is accurate and consistent across demographic groups, with just 12 false alerts from over three million faces scanned — none resulting in an arrest. Around 80 percent of Londoners back its use, and the court has confirmed the safeguards are robust.

Live facial recognition is a proven, lawful crime-fighting tool that has led to more than 2,100 arrests in London, including over 100 sex offenders who would otherwise remain free to harm children. Independent testing confirms the technology is accurate and consistent across demographic groups, with just 12 false alerts from over three million faces scanned — none resulting in an arrest. Around 80 percent of Londoners back its use, and the court has confirmed the safeguards are robust.

UK Court Backs Met Police Facial Recognition Use

Artificial Intelligence

Crime & justice

Science & technology

United Kingdom

Live facial recognition is a proven, lawful crime-fighting tool that has led to more than 2,100 arrests in London, including over 100 sex offenders who would otherwise remain free to harm children. Independent testing confirms the technology is accurate and consistent across demographic groups, with just 12 false alerts from over three million faces scanned and none resulting in an arrest. Around 80 percent of Londoners back its use, and the court has confirmed the safeguards are robust.

Live facial recognition is a proven, lawful crime-fighting tool that has led to more than 2,100 arrests in London, including over 100 sex offenders who would otherwise remain free to harm children. Independent testing confirms the technology is accurate and consistent across demographic groups, with just 12 false alerts from over three million faces scanned and none resulting in an arrest. Around 80 percent of Londoners back its use, and the court has confirmed the safeguards are robust.

A court's backing of the Met's facial recognition program doesn't make mass surveillance acceptable — 4.2 million faces scanned in London last year alone is an unprecedented level of monitoring that no other Western democracy has matched. The technology already wrongly flagged an innocent man, who was detained for over 20 minutes and threatened with arrest despite showing valid I.D. Rubber-stamping this kind of dragnet surveillance sets a dangerous precedent for civil liberties across Britain.

A court's backing of the Met's facial recognition program doesn't make mass surveillance acceptable — 4.2 million faces scanned in London last year alone is an unprecedented level of monitoring that no other Western democracy has matched. The technology already wrongly flagged an innocent man, who was detained for over 20 minutes and threatened with arrest despite showing valid I.D. Rubber-stamping this kind of dragnet surveillance sets a dangerous precedent for civil liberties across Britain.

UK Court Backs Met Police Facial Recognition Use

UK Court Backs Met Police Facial Recognition Use

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UK Court Backs Met Police Facial Recognition Use

UK Court Backs Met Police Facial Recognition Use

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