Nine schools in North Ayrshire that had introduced facial recognition technology for school lunches have decided to pause it.
Indeed, the schools were using the system so that pupils could pay for their lunch with limited physical contact. This technology was supposed to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 and make the service quicker and more efficient.
However, after the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) inquiries, the North Ayrshire Council temporarily paused the rollout, and the Great Academy Ashton in Ashton-under-Lyne chose to completely stop its use of the facial recognition system. The ICO highlighted the very intrusive approach of the technology, especially within schools.
Privacy campaigners and the biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner for England and Wales have pointed out that services should think carefully before using technology such as facial recognition. The Council then decided to pause the use of the technology and revert to the previous Pin system while it is reviewing the inquiries.
