No rules govern police use of facial-recognition technology

PLUS: Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before the EU Parliament, the laser battle against sea lice, and new headphones that tune themselves. [View this email in your browser]( [logo]( [[WIRED Magazine]5.23.18]( You can buy pretty much anything from Amazon: Pantry items, server space, and, as the ACLU of Northern California has revealed, [facial-recognition technology](. The organization released documents yesterday showing that police departments in Orlando and Oregon have been buying an Amazon product called Rekognition, which claims to be able to "detect and recognize faces in live streams." More than two dozen nonprofits have since come out against such partnerships—but they're in a bit of a bind. Sure, they can call attention to the technology's ability to "violate rights and target communities of color." But, as [Tom Simonite]( reports, they don't have much in the way of actual laws that they can appeal to. That's because facial recognition is, by and large, [completely unregulated](. There's (obviously) no mention of it in the US Constitution, and though the Fourth Amendment covers other surveillance technology like wiretaps, images gathered lawfully in public don't exactly amount to unreasonable search and seizure. Some cities, like Berkeley, have taken actions to limit surveillance, but few other cities have addressed the issue. So for now, activists' best bet is to pressure Amazon, police departments, and communities to set their own limits. "The law moves slowly," says Nicole Ozer, technology and civil liberties director at the ACLU of Northern California. "But a lot needs to happen here now that this dangerous surveillance is being rolled out." Also: Mark Zuckerberg [testifies before the EU Parliament]( a salmon farming company fights a laser battle against [sea lice]( and new headphones [scan your ears and tune themselves](. Facebook Zuckerberg Ducks Pointed Questions From the EU Parliament By Issie Lapowsky Just days before the GDPR goes into effect, Facebook's CEO left European regulators wanting for answers on data protection, hate speech, bullying, and partisan bias. Fish Farming The Laser Battle Against Blood-Sucking Parasites of the Deep By Amanda Little What can salmon farmers do against the scourge of tiny fish-killing sea lice? Fry them. Surveillance State Few Rules Govern Police Use of Facial-Recognition Technology By Tom Simonite Groups call for Amazon to stop selling facial-recognition tech to police departments after documents reveal the practice. Product Review These Headphones Scan Your Ears and Tune Themselves By Jeffrey Van Camp The Nuraphones feel strange to wear, but their customized audio reigns supreme. [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [Ad Choices]( [WIRED Magazine Subscription] Get Wired Get unlimited access to an ad-free WIRED.com + a free YubiKey. Start your free trial now. star wars Solo May Be Inessential, But It's Also Utterly Delightful By Brian Raftery There are few, if any, revelations here, and some of the fleshed-out backstory is woefully dumb, but Han finally gets the prequel he deserves. Roundup 18 Camping Gear Picks to Jump-Start Your Memorial Day Weekend By Adrienne So Summer's here, y'all! Time to get outside. The Physics of How a Mirror Creates a Virtual World By Rhett Allain Human eyes are sort of dumb—but you can trick them into being smart. Crime How the LAPD Uses Data to Predict Crime By Issie Lapowsky The Los Angeles Police Department is using "predictive policing" to prevent crime, but this innovative approach has its problems. The Life Issue What Are Screens Doing to Our Eyes—and Our Ability to See? By Virginia Heffernan Our eyes are hardening; we can barely see our phones any more. We must learn to look at the wider world. [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [WIRED Magazine]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, [wired@newsletters.wired.com]( to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Copyright © Condé Nast 2018. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.