In recent years, the Mall of America has implemented facial recognition technology to enhance its security measures and track individuals of interest. This cutting-edge technology will focus on identifying individuals who are currently trespassing at the mall, those who pose a threat to the environment, individuals identified by law enforcement, and those who are missing or potentially in danger.
To use this technology, photos of individuals of interest are uploaded into the recognition software, which scans for matches to these images. If there is a positive match, the security team is alerted, leading to a further investigation by the Bloomington-based mall. It’s important to note that this technology does not track or store information on individuals who are not considered persons of interest. This feature is aimed at maintaining privacy and protecting individuals from unnecessary surveillance.
Despite the benefits of this cutting-edge technology, some concerns have been raised regarding potential misidentification, particularly among people of color. Studies have shown that AI-based facial recognition has led to wrongful arrests and has lower accuracy rates when identifying young, Black, and female individuals. To address these concerns, the Mall of America has trained its security personnel in traditional facial recognition techniques to ensure that the alerts generated by the software are accurately analyzed. Following a human review process, mall officers will approach potential persons of interest and adhere to standard security protocols.
Unlike neighboring Minneapolis where facial recognition technology was banned for police and city agencies in 2021, the Mall of America has chosen to use Corsight AI as its vendor for this new technology. Corsight AI has been tested and approved by both NIST and DHS and has been found to be highly accurate in its identification capabilities with a correct identification rate of 99.3% in DHS testing. This indicates that this technology is an excellent option available for enhancing security measures at the Mall of America while prioritizing safety and privacy for all guests.
Overall, implementing facial recognition technology at the Mall of America is an essential step towards ensuring public safety while respecting individual privacy rights.
