Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Privacy concerns raised over UK schools using facial recognition

Privacy concerns raised over UK schools using facial recognition

Nine schools in North Ayrshire in Scotland say using the technology is quicker and more hygienic for pupils paying for their lunches.

A group of schools in the UK started using facial recognition software on Monday to verify children’s identities when paying for school meals.

Nine schools in North Ayrshire in Scotland said that using the technology is quicker and more hygienic than paying with cards or fingerprint scanners amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

More schools in the UK are expected to use the technology.

The Guardian reported the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), an independent body that for information rights in the UK, said it would be contacting North Ayrshire council and urged a "less intrusive" approach where possible.

An ICO spokesperson said organisations using facial recognition technology must comply with data protection law.

"Data protection law provides additional protections for children, and organisations need to carefully consider the necessity and proportionality of collecting biometric data before they do so," they said.

“Organisations should consider using a different approach if the same goal can be achieved in a less intrusive manner".

Data storage


According to North Ayrshire council, 97 per cent of children or their parents had consented to the use of facial recognition in schools.

The schools use an opt-in system that parents have to agree to and can alternatively use a PIN for verification of payment.

The children’s biometric data is stored in an encrypted form and the data is deleted after the child leaves the school.

"It's the fastest way of recognising someone at the till," David Swanston, the managing director of CRB Cunninghams, the company that provided the system, told the Financial Times.

He told the newspaper the average transaction time using the system was five seconds per pupil.

"In a secondary school you have about a 25-minute period to serve potentially 1,000 pupils. So we need fast throughput at the point of sale".

Normalising ID checks


Silkie Carlo of the UK campaign group Big Brother Watch told the Financial Times that the technology was unnecessary in schools.

"It’s normalising biometric identity checks for something that is mundane. You don’t need to resort to airport style [technology] for children getting their lunch," he told the newspaper.

Schools in the United States have been installing facial recognition technologies in schools for the last few years for security purposes.

Meanwhile, the Moscow metro introduced a facial-recognition payments system, sparking fears the technology could be used to identify protesters and political opponents of President Vladimir Putin’s government.

In early October, the European Parliament called for a ban on the technology in public spaces and for stricter safeguards for police use of artificial intelligence, arguing the technology could lead to discrimination.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×