UK human rights committee questions police use of facial recognition on children and racial bias

The UK Joint Committee on Human Rights has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood seeking detailed answers on the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by law enforcement, following the launch of a Home Office consultation on a new legal framework for biometric technologies. In its letter dated December 18, 2025, the Committee highlights serious human rights concerns related to children’s rights, discrimination, and accountability.

The Committee refers to investigations by Liberty and The Times indicating that images of children aged between 12 and 18 have been included on police facial recognition watchlists at least 1,600 times. It notes that while current College of Policing guidance recognises the sensitivity of using children’s data, it does not impose clear limits on when children may be added to watchlists. The Committee questions whether existing safeguards are sufficient and asks whether the Home Office plans to introduce explicit restrictions or primary legislation.

The letter also raises concerns about racial bias in facial recognition systems, citing test results from the National Physical Laboratory showing significantly higher false positive identification rates for Asian and Black individuals, particularly Black women. The Committee asks whether such disparities are compatible with human rights obligations and whether these findings will affect current police deployments of the technology.

Positioning its questions within the broader inquiry on ‘Human Rights and the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence,’ the Committee calls for clarity on oversight, transparency, and enforcement. It has requested a formal response from the Home Office by 6 January 2026.