Facial recognition has been used unlawfully and violated human rights, Court of Appeal rules in landmark case

Facial recognition was used unlawfully by a British police force and violated human rights, the Court of Appeal has ruled in a landmark case.

Judges were considering two uses of the controversial technology in Cardiff, but the judgment could have an impact on its growing use in other parts of the UK.

Three senior judges found that South Wales Police had violated the right to privacy under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as data protection laws and duties to address concerns about racial or sex discrimination.

An order published on Tuesday said two deployments in December 2017 and March 2018, and others “on an ongoing basis … was not in accordance with the law”.