Facial Recognition Technology in Counter-Terrorism: A Comparative Analysis of Challenges and Ethical Considerations in Europe and India.

Abstract

Facial recognition technology (herein after referred to as FRT) has emerged as a transformative tool in counter-terrorism, offering advanced capabilities for identifying, monitoring, and apprehending individuals of interest.

This chapter explores how national security frameworks can be strengthened using facial recognition technology. Our focus will be on three specific applications: real-time surveillance, border control, and investigative processes. The first application, in these days of so-called "high-value targets," is obviously of prime importance. But the application of FRT to our borders and in police investigations are equally important to understand, since they directly affect most citizens' lives and liberties.

This study uses the Scopus database to perform comprehensive bibliometric analysis as its main methodology. It covers the high-impact literature from the last decade (2011–2021), along with relevant patents and case studies, to identify and understand key trends, thematic clusters, and knowledge gaps in the use of FRT for counter-terrorism. This analysis provides a solid basis for data-driven research into the evolution of the technology, its integration with other surveillance systems such as Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) networks and drones, and its deployment in quite different geopolitical contexts. This chapter centers on the U.S. and Europe as use-case examples to dissect the potential effectiveness of FRT for counter-terrorism in India.

The potential of FRT to counter terrorism is plainly tremendous, yet the possibility of its misuse is equally great. For an intelligent choice to be made, a series of quite difficult risks vs. benefits determinations must be made. FRT is no different from other radically new technologies in this respect. FRT is revolutionary, but so are several other modern developments, e.g., nano-technology and synthetic biology. These too hold undreamed-of promise and perils, and in a democracy, an intelligent and informed citizenry is a prerequisite for tough risk vs. benefit calls to be made.

This study contributes to the ongoing discourse by providing specific recommendations for increasing the accuracy, transparency, and accountability of FRT systems while safeguarding individual rights. The chapter finishes up with a message of hope: that FRT could yield great benefits in counter-terrorism, but those potential benefits are likely to come about only if we as a society confront and solve the ethical, operational, and societal problems that the technology raises