🤓Module 5 -> Lesson 3
Close reading, active listening, writing to learn
Anchor Text(s) for this Lesson
Why Cities are Banning FRT, video by WIRED magazine, August 6th, 2019
The Hidden Role of Face Recognition Tech in Many Arrests, by Khari Johnson, WIRED magazine, March 7th, 2022
Supporting Text(s)/ Resources for this Lesson
Sample slide deck: Module 5 --> Lesson 3
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students build on their learning in the last several lessons by continuing to think about the role of legislation in regulating the deployment of FRT in policing. Students watch a video called "Why Cities are Banning FRT" which discusses questions about data and privacy concerns and also considers how law enforcement benefits from the use of FRT. Students consider the issue of transparency as it relates to FRT in policing and use the Atlas of Surveillance to explore the types of technologies being used in cities across the US.
Nota Bene
The video in this lesson is on the longer side (ten minutes) if you watch it in its entirety. It is recommended that (as always) you preview the video before sharing it in class and determine when (and if) you will pause the video and check for comprehension. Notably, consider starting the video at 4:39 and watching to the end; this will include the following segments: benefits to law enforcement; concerns; privacy; and regulation.
Objectives
Explain the relationship between transparency and accountability when FRT is used in policing.
Evaluate the role that transparency might play in mitigating the risks of FRT while allowing police departments and the public to continue accessing its benefits
Suggested Duration
45 minutes (adjust according to your students' needs)
NYS Next Generation ELA Standards
W1c: Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to express the appropriate complexity of the topic.
RH9: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
R1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly/ implicitly and make logical inferences; develop questions for deeper understanding and for further exploration.
NYS Computer Science & Digital Fluency Standards
9-12.IC.5 Describe ways that complex computer systems can be designed for inclusivity and to mitigate unintended consequences.
9-12.IC.3 Debate issues of ethics related to real world computing technologies.
9-12.IC.1 Evaluate the impact of computing technologies on equity, access, and influence in a global society.
Vocabulary
transparency: the government’s obligation to share information with citizens that is needed to make informed decisions and hold officials accountable
legislation: a law or a set of laws passed by a government body
oversight: the state of being in charge of someone or something
perpetuate: to cause something to continue indefinitely; to keep something going, especially something that is negative or harmful.
systemic injustice: injustices that are deeply rooted in the system or society, and not just individual actions or beliefs.
ethical: relating to moral principles and values; conforming to standards of good conduct and behavior.
Hook
Present the following for students to read and respond to in writing, or conversation with a partner.
DEFINITION:
transparency: the government’s obligation to share information with citizens that is needed to make informed decisions and hold officials accountable
BLURB:
“Across most of the US, neither police nor prosecutors are required to disclose when facial recognition is used to identify a criminal suspect. Defense attorneys say that puts them at a disadvantage: They can’t challenge potential problems with facial recognition technology if they don’t know it was used. It also raises questions of equity, since studies have shown that facial recognition systems are more likely to misidentify people who are not white men, including people with dark skin, women, and young people.”
PROMPT:
What changes would you ask for to ensure greater transparency when FRT is used in policing?
Are there benefits to NOT making it known that FRT was used in an investigation? Explain your reasoning.
Facilitate a brief full-class discussion to amplify students' ideas.
Mini-Lesson
Elicit from students some common tensions between proponents and opponents of FRT being used in policing. You might consider pulling from the following overview of arguments:
Proponents Argue:
Enhances security: Facial recognition technology can be used to improve security in public places such as airports, banks, and government buildings by identifying potential threats and preventing crimes.
Saves time and resources: Facial recognition technology can reduce the time and resources required to identify individuals in large crowds, making it a useful tool for law enforcement.
Increases convenience: Facial recognition technology can be used to simplify processes such as access control, ticketing, and payment systems, making them faster and more efficient.
Helps find missing persons: Facial recognition technology can be used to identify missing persons and reunite them with their families.
Opponents Argue:
Violates privacy: Facial recognition technology can be used to track individuals' movements, activities, and personal information, violating their privacy rights.
Generates false positives: Facial recognition technology is not always accurate and can generate false positives, leading to mistaken identities and potential harm to innocent individuals.
Increases bias: Facial recognition technology has been shown to be less accurate in identifying people of color and women, leading to increased bias and discrimination.
Enables surveillance: Facial recognition technology can be used for mass surveillance, monitoring and tracking individuals without their consent or knowledge.
Challenge students to consider how transparency and oversight might work to protect the public from the risks that opponents highlight while also allowing law enforcement to productively and safely use the technology to solve crimes. Screen the video, starting at 4:39, and ask students to actively take notes on their activity guide. They are prompted to listen for key information in the following categories: benefits to law enforcement; concerns; privacy; and regulation.
Activity
Students continue working on the same challenge: Consider how transparency and oversight might work to protect the public from the risks that opponents highlight while also allowing law enforcement to productively and safely use the technology to solve crimes. Students will read the article "The hidden role of FRT in many arrests" and add evidence and notes in their activity guide. The goal is to identify and consider both benefits and risks and examine the ways in which transparency and oversight influence the impact of FRT in policing. Depending on your context, students can be assigned the entire reading or you might choose to strategically select four to six excerpts from the text that allow them to dig into this challenge.
POTENTIAL EXTENSION: Students can explore the Atlas of Surveillance and engage in independent research.
Wrap Up
Highlight observations you made while circulating in class and invite some students to share their findings.
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