FaceFirst announced today that they are working closely with D.C. lawmakers to influence future facial recognition regulations. A team of FaceFirst executives, led by FaceFirst President and CEO Peter Trepp, recently traveled to Capitol Hill to help the bipartisan Commercial Facial Recognition Privacy Act of 2019 (S. 847) move forward. The FaceFirst team briefed bill co-sponsor Senator Roy Blunt's office on the need to protect consumer privacy while still allowing the public to benefit from this transformative technology. “While we're seeing rapid market adoption of facial recognition technology, there remain valid concerns that this technology needs to be regulated and used responsibly ,” stated Trepp. “Regulations are necessary guardrails for protecting privacy, but it's essential that they don't unduly compromise public safety or stifle innovation.” “Congressional lawmakers see and understand that retailers need facial recognition technology to combat organized retail crime, shoplifter recidivism, and to keep their employees and customers safe,” stated FaceFirst Chief Revenue Officer Dara Riordan. Due to high levels of recidivism, ORC costs the U.S. retail industry $46.8 billion every year according to the National Retail Federation.In addition to retail, facial recognition technology is currently being used by event venues, hospitals, transportation centers and other public spaces to prevent terrorism and acts of violence. FaceFirst also briefed the Senator's office on various commercial use cases for facial recognition including enabling seamless, secure transactions and better customer experiences. FaceFirst is currently working with congressional lawmakers to review and influence future legislation. The company will be offering recommendations intended to maximize consumer privacy without disrupting innovation. “The right regulations can alleviate public concerns and fast-track mass adoption,” stated FaceFirst CEO Peter Trepp. “That's why we're partnering with lawmakers to ensure that regulations are a win-win for consumers and vendors alike.” Peter Trepp is also the author of The New Rules of Consumer Privacy: Building Loyalty with Connected Consumers in the Age of Face Recognition and AI.
FaceFirst partnering with lawmakers on facial recognition regulations
