The FBI Wants AI Surveillance Drones With Facial Recognition

The FBI is reportedly seeking to develop drones equipped with artificial intelligence, specifically facial recognition technology, in a bid to expand its surveillance capabilities. According to federal procurement documents, the agency is looking for vendors to provide AI and machine learning solutions that can be integrated into unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The move has sparked concerns among civil libertarians, who argue that such technology could exacerbate the chilling effect of surveillance on activities protected by the First Amendment.

Critics say that facial recognition technology is not designed to target specific individuals but rather to conduct indiscriminate mass surveillance. Matthew Guariglia, a policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned that this technology "is essentially tailor-made for political retribution and harassment." The use of such drones could lead to a chilling effect on free speech and assembly, as protesters might feel targeted by law enforcement.

The FBI's request for information also raises concerns about the potential misuse of AI-enabled drones in detecting weapons. While the technology may not be effective in all scenarios, its limitations could pose a risk to public safety. Guariglia noted that "no company has yet proven that AI firearm detection is a viable technology" and expressed skepticism about the accuracy of such systems.

The use of surveillance drones by law enforcement agencies has already raised concerns in recent years. In New York City, the NYPD has used drones to surveil protests without adequate oversight, while the U.S. Marshals Service deployed drones to monitor protesters in Washington, D.C. The deployment of AI-enabled drones could further erode trust between law enforcement and communities.

The use of such technology also highlights a broader issue: the erosion of democratic institutions and the rise of authoritarianism under President Donald Trump. Critics argue that Trump's administration has engaged in a full-scale assault on democracy, with court orders being ignored and media outlets facing investigation. The Intercept, which published this article, has been critical of Trump's policies and is one of few remaining voices defending press freedom.

As the use of surveillance drones by law enforcement agencies continues to grow, it is essential that there are checks in place to ensure that such technology is used responsibly and with transparency. The public must remain vigilant and demand accountability from those in power.

I'm getting really worried about this . I mean, think about it - we're already living in a world where surveillance is everywhere, and now the FBI wants to take it to new heights (literally!) with drones that can spot faces and recognize them without our consent? That's just creepy . And what about the First Amendment? If law enforcement can use this tech to target people protesting or exercising their right to free speech, we're in trouble . I'm all for keeping us safe, but not at the cost of our freedom. We need to make sure that these drones are used responsibly and with transparency - no more shady deals behind closed doors . It's time for some real accountability from our leaders and law enforcement agencies .

Ugh I'm literally shaking just thinking about this FBI wanting to deploy these AI-powered drones that can recognize faces is like, SO not okay Can you imagine a world where protesters are being surveilled on the streets just because they're exercising their right to free speech? It's like, hello First Amendment! And don't even get me started on the facial recognition tech itself... it's basically a recipe for disaster Like Guariglia said, this stuff is tailor-made for harassment and retribution. I mean, what's next? Drones tracking everyone's social media activity? It's getting to the point where I'm not sure if our government actually cares about protecting our rights anymore... it feels like they're more interested in maintaining their own power and control

lol what's next, the FBI gonna have a drone that can recognize your love for pizza? just kidding sorta... but seriously, facial recognition tech on drones is super sketchy. I mean, who doesn't want to feel like Big Brother watching you go about your daily life? The more I think about it, the more I'm like "yo, what's the worst that could happen?" just kidding again... kinda. But seriously though, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where this tech is used against protesters or minorities, and that's just not cool at all. As for Trump's admin, I mean, they're already trying to roll back our civil rights left and right... why stop there? anyway, to the drones! if we gotta have 'em, let's at least make sure they're transparent and accountable, or else it's just more proof that we've lost our grip on democracy .

drones + AI = more eyes on us i dont get why gov'ts need more ways to spy on ppl. cant we just chill out & be free? its like they say, "those who would give up essential liberty to gain a little temporary security deserve neither"

I'm getting some serious vibes about this whole AI-powered drone thing . Like, I get it, the FBI's gotta stay safe, but we can't let our civil liberties slip through the cracks ️. It's crazy to think that drones with facial recognition tech could be used to chill free speech and assembly . And what about the risk of misidentification? It's already happening with these facial recognition apps on our phones , imagine if they're being used in real life.

I'm not buying into the whole "AI is gonna save us" narrative . We need to be more careful about how we deploy this tech and make sure it serves a purpose other than just monitoring us . And can we talk about the broader implications of authoritarianism creeping into our democracy ? It's not just about the surveillance drones, it's about who gets to decide what's "safe" and what's not?

We need more transparency and accountability from law enforcement and our leaders . The public needs to stay informed and hold them accountable for how they're using this tech . We can't let fear of terrorism or whatever justify sacrificing our rights . It's time for a more nuanced conversation about the role of surveillance in our society .

Ugh, this is getting scary... Drones with facial recognition tech? That's just too much for me. I remember when we were protesting against the government back in '09, and now they're trying to police us like that? It's like they think we're not good enough on our own. And what about people of color or the elderly who might get mistaken for someone else? This is just another reason to be worried about our civil liberties.

And don't even get me started on AI firearm detection... I mean, how can you trust a machine to tell if something's a gun or not? It sounds like some wild west nonsense. I'm all for keeping us safe, but we need to do it in a way that respects our rights, not takes them away.

The fact that the FBI is pushing this tech without proper oversight is just red flag after red flag. We need more transparency and accountability, not less. This is exactly why people are losing trust in law enforcement...

just thinking about this is giving me the heebie jeebies!!! i mean, think about it, drones with AI facial recog tech, like what's next? drones that can sniff out your online activity too?! it's getting creepier by the minute. we need to be super careful here, 'cause once this stuff falls into the wrong hands... well, let's just say it's a recipe for disaster. we gotta make sure our gov't is holding ppl in power accountable for their actions, not just letting them run wild w/ this kinda tech. we need transparency and checks & balances, stat!

omg u wont believe whats going on with the fbi & drones they wanna make a new type of drone that can use facial recognition tech to watch ppl without them even knowing its like something outta a sci-fi movie, but its real life now. i mean, isnt that just creepy? i feel like it could be used to target specific ppl or groups unfairly. what if protesters are watching their own protests being recorded by the fbi? it makes me think of my own school where we have strict rules & surveillance cameras everywhere, its like they wanna control our every move. u guys think this is a good idea or not?

I'm getting so worried about this... Those AI-powered drones just sound so ominous & scary. I can imagine how it'd feel like you're being watched all the time, even if it's not intentional. It's like, we already have enough issues with surveillance, and now we're talking about taking it to a whole new level. What's next? More robots policing our streets? I just can't help but think that this is all part of a bigger problem – the erosion of trust between law enforcement & communities. We need to make sure that these agencies are being held accountable for their actions, and that there are checks in place to prevent this kind of thing from happening again...

I'm worried about this AI drone thingy... like, what's next? They're gonna make drones with cameras that can see through walls or something . I mean, I get it, security is important, but we need to be careful not to give the govt too much power to chill our freedoms. I remember when my friend used to protest at Occupy Wall St back in 2011 and they had those police drones hovering above them... it was super creepy .

And what's with this whole facial recognition thing? It sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. I mean, I know it's already being used for good stuff like finding missing persons, but we need to make sure it's not being misused by the FBI or anyone else . We can't just let our government play around with tech that could be used against us.

We need to stay vigilant and make sure they're using this tech responsibly. No more surprises from the gov .

I mean, come on... back in my day we didn't need drones to keep an eye on people, you know? We had cops on the beat, not flying around above us like little robots . And what's with all this facial recognition tech? It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie . I'm not saying it won't be useful or anything, but do we really need the FBI to have these drones? Can't they just use regular ol' cops and police cars like everyone else?

And don't even get me started on the whole 'chilling effect' thing . I mean, what's wrong with people being able to protest without being watched 24/7? That's not how democracy is supposed to work, right? We need to be careful about who we trust with all this tech and make sure it's used for good, not for snooping around .

It's also kinda worrying that the government is just going to start using whatever tech they want without anyone really checking it out . I mean, what's to stop them from using drones to spy on their own citizens? It's like something straight out of a conspiracy theory movie . We need to keep an eye on this stuff and make sure it doesn't slip through our fingers .

I'm not sure why the FBI needs AI-powered drones with facial recognition tech, it seems like a huge overreach. They're basically just asking for more ways to snoop on us without a good reason. And what's with all these claims that this tech is only for targeting specific individuals? It's always "indiscriminate mass surveillance" when the gov't wants to spy on its own people... I mean, we're supposed to be living in a democracy here, not some dystopian sci-fi novel. The fact that they can't even prove AI-powered drone gun detection is accurate just shows how reckless this all is. We need more transparency and oversight before we let the gov't get its hands on this tech. Otherwise, it's just gonna be another excuse for them to crack down on dissenting voices...

I'm getting really uncomfortable about this ... So they're making these super-advanced drones that can recognize faces and stuff, and it's like, who's gonna control them? I don't think we should just let the FBI play around with this tech without knowing what could happen. It sounds like a recipe for trouble to me... What if it's used to go after protesters or something? That would be super unfair And what about people of color? We all know how surveillance can affect communities differently . Can't we just make sure that this tech is used in a way that respects our rights and freedoms?

I'm totally freaked out about this news ! Who wants drones watching them all the time? It's like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but not cool at all . I mean, can you imagine if those drones were used to snoop on peaceful protesters or someone just trying to make a difference? That would be totally unfair .

And what about people who don't want to be surveilled? Do they get a say in this? It seems like the FBI is just going to do whatever it wants and expect everyone else to be okay with it . We need to stay vigilant and make sure our government isn't getting too big for its britches .

I'm also super worried about AI firearm detection . That's some crazy tech right there! Have we even thought this through? What if the drones get it wrong and start arresting people by mistake? No way, that would be a total disaster !

We need to hold our government accountable for using technology like this responsibly . We can't let them just use it to spy on us without any oversight . It's time to speak up and demand change!

Drones with AI facial recognition tech? That's like having Big Brother watching your backyard We need more oversight, not less surveillance

Wow this is so interesting. Facial recognition tech being used on drones? It's like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. I'm worried about the implications on free speech and assembly, protesters feeling targeted by law enforcement. And what about public safety, AI detection technology not being proven effective in all scenarios... it's like playing Russian roulette with our rights

man I'm telling u this whole thing about FBI and drones sounds super sketchy . they're basically asking for a way to snoop on people 24/7, no matter what they're doing. facial recognition tech is already creepy enough without making it even more advanced and powerful . I mean think about it if they can detect guns but not necessarily know who's holding them that's just begging for someone to get shot because the AI is too slow or wrong . and what's with all these protests being surveilled? doesn't anyone care that it feels like they're watching you all the time? it's like they want to create this whole surveillance state where no one can be safe from being watched .