Lead researcher: Professor Edward Santow (University of Technology Sydney) | 2022 – 2023

Governments are increasingly using facial recognition technology (FRT) for a range of purposes from service delivery to law enforcement. This raises some important legal, human rights and ethical issues, especially given FRT’s impact on the right to privacy. With strong legal guardrails, and clarity about the functions for which government should and should not use FRT, FRT can bring significant public benefit. However, the absence of effective protections puts individuals at severe risk of harm, and can threaten community trust in government. As Service NSW develops a digital identity verification system using FRT, there is a need to ensure that the law and broader governance system protect NSW citizens and build a firm foundation of trust. This project addressed these challenges through the development of an effective governance and training framework that will help assist Service NSW to safeguard citizens and the broader community.