The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has announced that a consensus has been reached on the best practice for the commercial use of facial recognition technology. The best practice guidelines address transparency, data management practices, security safeguards, problem resolution, and redress procedures, and will apply to “any person, including corporate affiliates, that collects, stores or processes facial template data” on a strictly voluntary basis. However, key consumer groups, such as the Consumer Federation of America, were notably absent from the agreement, with many withdrawing from the  multi-stakeholder process over disagreement with industry representatives over the issue of consumer consent or control. These groups have now criticised the result for failing to provide meaningful guidance for businesses and “no real protection for individuals.”

The Best Practice Guidelines (PDF)