Microsoft will not sell facial recognition technology to law and enforcement agencies

Microsoft is the next tech giant who has refused to sell its facial recognition technology to the law and enforcement agencies after the IBM and Amazon.

 Microsoft decides to postpone its plan to sell cognitive services after the recent concerns about the usage of this technology after the death of George Floyd from the hands of the police.

Microsoft has clarified to not sell its facial recognition technology until the reforms about the regulation of technology.

Microsoft president @BradSmi says the company does not sell facial recognition software to police depts. in the U.S. today and will not sell the tools to police until there is a national law in place “grounded in human rights.” #postlive pic.twitter.com/lwxBLjrtZL

— Washington Post Live (@postlive) June 11, 2020

According to the Washington Post, the president of Microsoft Brad Smith has told that Microsoft is going to follows the decision of not selling their facial recognition technology by IBM and Amazon until congress constitutes a proper law about the regulation of the technology.

Smith further said, " we need congress act, not just tech companies alone...". This statement is indicating the need for the legislation for the regulation of technology for the time being.

Experts are also speculating that Microsoft has taken this step after the critics mounted the pressure to follow the path of IBM and Amazon.

According to different research and studies about facial recognition didn't work effectively at dark skin and, therefore, it can misidentify any person boosting the racisms amid the already tense situation.

 After various researches, the facial recognition technology has become controversial and different sectors have abandoned its sale until legislation about the regulation of technology. 

Similarly, before this, the CEO of IBM Arvind Krishna also said the same about the facial recognition technology that IBM will not sell facial recognition technology to most of its customers to prevent racial prejudice.