Short Wave

How Israel Is Using Facial Recognition In Gaza

May 24, 2024

Sheera Frenkel, a tech reporter for The New York Times, digs into Israel's use of facial recognition technology in Gaza. She discusses how this system, launched with help from private companies, creates a complex web of surveillance. Frenkel raises vital ethical questions around privacy and consent, especially as Palestinians navigate checkpoints under constant monitoring. The conversation highlights the technology's implications not just for safety, but also for civil liberties in conflict zones.

14:35

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Sheera Frenkel

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Quick takeaways

Israeli military implemented facial recognition in Gaza with help from private firms and Google Photos for identification purposes.

Facial recognition software in Hebron monitors Palestinians using body and eye recognition, raising concerns about privacy and surveillance.

Deep dives

Facial Recognition in Hebron

In Hebron, a city in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces and private companies have been testing facial recognition software to monitor Palestinians. Palestinian activist Isa Umrow stated that the cameras not only use facial recognition but also body and eye recognition. The cameras can provide detailed personal information about individuals before they even show their ID, creating a high level of surveillance in the area.

Testing facial recognition technology amidst conflict

00:54

Maximizing Photo Identification with Off-the-Shelf AI Technology

01:15

Intro

4min

The Contrast of Facial Recognition: Voluntary vs. Involuntary Scanning

5min

Enhanced Surveillance Techniques in Gaza

2min

Facial Recognition Technology and Its Complexities in Military Use

6min

After the Hamas attack of Oct. 7 triggered Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began fleeing from the North of Gaza to the South. As they fled, many Palestinians reported passing through checkpoints with cameras. Israel had previously used facial recognition software in the West Bank, and some Palestinians reached out to The New York Times reporter Sheera Frenkel to investigate whether the same was happening in Gaza.

Science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel talks to Frenkel about how Israel launched this facial recognition system in Gaza late last year with the help of private companies and Google photos.

Read Frenkel's full article.

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