Metropolitan Police Criticized Over Facial Recognition Expansion

March 20, 2025: The Metropolitan Police in London is facing renewed criticism following the expansion of its facial recognition surveillance operations. Civil liberties groups, privacy advocates, and members of Parliament have raised concerns over the growing deployment of live facial recognition (LFR) cameras in public areas, citing transparency issues, data protection risks, and potential civil rights violations.

The police force recently expanded LFR use across significant transport hubs, shopping districts, and high-footfall zones, arguing that the technology improves the ability to identify wanted suspects in real-time. According to the Met, the systems are matched against a predefined watchlist of individuals with active warrants or high-risk associations. Officials claim recent operations have led to multiple arrests and successful suspect identifications.

However, critics argue that the benefits do not outweigh the risks. Independent evaluations have previously flagged inaccurate match rates, algorithmic bias, and a lack of oversight mechanisms. Organizations, including Liberty, Big Brother Watch, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), have demanded greater regulatory control, citing a lack of accountability and insufficient public consultation.

Several experts have pointed to a disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities, warning that facial recognition algorithms exhibit higher error rates for non-white individuals. Concerns also persist over data retention practices, including the storage of biometric information of bystanders not flagged on watchlists.

Parliamentarians from multiple parties have called for legislative intervention, with some proposing a temporary halt to deployment until a comprehensive framework for biometric surveillance is established. The government maintains that current regulations under the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice are adequate, but watchdog groups argue that these rules lack legal teeth and enforceability.

The expansion also raises questions about urban surveillance normalization, with privacy campaigners warning of a gradual shift toward mass biometric monitoring without meaningful public debate. If the trend continues without stricter legal guardrails, the UK could face growing legal and social challenges over the boundaries of surveillance technology in democratic societies.