Facial Recognition Software CEO Says Multistakeholder Walkout ‘Disrupted’ Focus of Talks

emotion analysis software company. By leaving, the participants distracted media attention from the talks' real focus and purpose, Brackeen said. “Many valuable and helpful uses" for this technology "are in danger of being overlooked because of the media focus on privacy threats,” he said. “Discussion needs to move away from potential threats of Big Brother tracking your every movement, to showing how we can use the technology to better society,” Brackeen said. “At Kairos we are not against the concept of people having to opt in to using facial recognition in most circumstances, certainly in the commercial and retail situations that are the focus of these talks,” he said. Kairos believes “at a base minimum, people should be able to walk down a public street without fear that companies they’ve never heard of are tracking their every movement -- and identifying them by name -- using facial recognition technology,” he said. These talks were designed to create a set of voluntary guidelines commercial facial recognition companies could choose to adhere to and will not impact the federal government, law enforcement, the military, etc., he said. “While we are disappointed that some important parties left the table, we are still wholeheartedly supporting the efforts, and we look forward to opting into a new standard.”