Amazon’s facial-recognition technology is supercharging local police | Washington Post

Prepare to be Rekognized... Also see A doorbell company owned by Amazon wants to start producing “crime news” and it’ll definitely end well | NiemanLab

"Amazon’s software is rapidly becoming more advanced. The company last month announced a Rekognition update that would, among other things, improve the accuracy of the system’s “emotion detection” feature, which automatically speculates how someone is feeling based on how they look on camera. It includes "7 supported emotions: ‘Happy,' ‘Sad,’ ‘Angry,’ ‘Surprised,' ‘Disgusted,' ‘Calm’ and ‘Confused.’”

Amazon also owns Ring, the maker of a popular doorbell camera, which applied last year for a facial-recognition patent that could flag “suspicious” people at a buyer’s doorstep. A Ring spokeswoman said the company’s patent applications are intended to “explore the full possibilities of new technology.”

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s face database, meanwhile, is always growing, by roughly 19,000 jail bookings a year. When people are arrested, they’re brought to a bustling intake room where they get their picture taken by a Web camera topped with a red Beanie Babies cardinal. “Look at the bird,” they’re told."

Amazon’s facial-recognition technology is supercharging local police | Washington Post