‘This sort of dystopian policing has no place in our city or any other.’

A Cardiff resident launched the first legal challenge to a UK police force’s use of automated facial recognition (AFR) technology earlier this week.

Ed Bridges – represented by human rights organisation Liberty – has written to Chief Constable Matt Jukes demanding South Wales Police immediately ends its ongoing use of automated facial recognition technology because it violates the privacy rights of everyone within range of the cameras, has a chilling effect on peaceful protest, discriminates against women and BAME people, and breaches data protection laws.