Microsoft has said it will no longer invest in third-party facial recognition technology companies following the controversy surrounding its investment in Israeli startup AnyVision. According to critics and human rights activists, AnyVision actively used its software to spy on Palestinians in the West Bank for the benefit of the Israeli government.
Microsoft has now said that an independent investigation by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and his team at the international law firm Covington & Burling has found that AnyVision technology has not previously been and is not being used in a mass surveillance program in the West Bank. Otherwise, it would violate the commitment to the ethical use of facial recognition technology, which AnyVision knitted itself when receiving investment from Microsoft.
Despite this, Microsoft has said it is ditching its investment in AnyVision and will no longer make minority investments in any third-party facial recognition firms. The software giant explained this by the difficulties of controlling minority shareholders over companies.
"Through a global shift in its investment policy to end minority investments in companies selling facial recognition technology, Microsoft has moved to a commercial relationship that gives Microsoft more control and oversight over the use of sensitive technology," the company wrote, among other things.
While Microsoft is ditching funding for facial recognition firms, it still has its own facial recognition technology implemented through the Azure cloud computing platform. The Face API allows any developer to build facial recognition into their applications for a seamless and reliable user experience. However, last year, the company's president and general counsel, Brad Smith, said that Microsoft would never sell facial recognition for surveillance purposes and would not provide law enforcement access to this technology because of concerns about violating people's rights.
But whether Microsoft's new investment position means it could still take over or become a majority shareholder in facial recognition companies remains to be seen.
Source: 3dnews.ru