Lawmakers Seek Answers on HUD's Use of Facial Recognition -- Security Today

Lawmakers Seek Answers on HUD's Use of Facial Recognition

Eight Democrats in the House and Senate want to know if public housing residents are included in decisions about facial recognition use.

By Adam Mazmanian
Dec 20, 2019

Eight Democratic lawmakers, including noted privacy hawk Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), are seeking answers from Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson about the use of facial recognition technology in public housing properties subsidized by HUD.

In a Dec. 18 letter, the lawmakers are seeking a breakdown of public housing and subsidized rental properties that have used facial recognition technology over the past five years and information on what cameras and software technology have been deployed.

The letter also seeks information about whether there is a policy about including residents in decisions about the deployment of facial recognition technology as a security measure and whether there are opt-out procedures for those who don't want their data collected.

The lawmakers also want to know if there are procedures for storing and securing biometric data in place, and whether HUD knows about any research linking the use of facial recognition technology with improved safety outcomes.

The letter expresses concern that such systems, "could be used to enable invasive, unnecessary and harmful government surveillance of their residents" and notes that residents "should not have to compromise their civil rights and liberties nor accept the condition of indiscriminate, sweeping government surveillance to find an affordable place to live."

In addition to Wyden, the letter is signed by Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) along with Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Rashida Talib (D-Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).

This article originally appeared on Federal Computer Week, a sister publication of Security Today under 1105 Media.

About the Author

Adam Mazmanian is the executive editor of Federal Computer Week (FCW).

Featured

Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial Intelligence
Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now
- Facility Security
Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies: Uniting Human Risk Management and Security Awareness Training

Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Report: 1 in 3 Easily Exploitable Vulnerabilities Found on Cloud Assets

CyCognito recently released new research highlighting critical security vulnerabilities across cloud-hosted assets, revealing that one in three easily exploitable vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are found on cloud assets. As organizations increasingly shift to multi-cloud strategies, the findings underscore significant security gaps that could provide attackers with potential footholds into networks. Read Now
- Cybersecurity

Security Today eNews

Sign up today for essential industry news and product information that can help you stay afloat in the fast-paced world of security.

Email Address*Country*

Please type the letters/numbers you see above.

Webinars

Whitepapers

New Products

HD2055 Modular Barricade

Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.
Camden CM-221 Series Switches

Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.
AC Nio

Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.