The University of Illinois at Chicago Police Department (UICPD) used a free version of Clearview AI technology to conduct investigations into alleged crimes, leading the department to target suspects identified by the controversial facial recognition technology.
The free trial offered and used by the department then led to the purchase of the software. It raises questions and concerns about how Clearview is plying its products, how it asks departments to use it, and whether free trials should be allowed to aid police in investigations.
UICPD paid for Clearview services in Aug. 2019 after receiving the free trial, according to records and police reports obtained by the Daily Dot. At least two people were identified using Clearview at the University of Illinois at Chicago before UICPD officially purchased this technology.
According to a police report filed over an armed robbery in March 2019, a UICPD officer conducted a search for a suspect via Clearview’s facial recognition program utilizing photo stills obtained from a Facebook page. The offender reportedly forcefully took a pair of Adidas Yeezys worth $350 during an exchange. That search revealed another page associated with the subject. Pictures observed on this Facebook page revealed more photos of the offender, wearing a sweatshirt matching what was seen on video surveillance footage.
In another police report filed in February 2019, police identified a suspect through a 2016 Cook County, Illinois mugshot by using Clearview. The offender was reported to have stolen $1,000 worth of tools near UIC’s West Campus.
In August 2019, UICPD’s Special Operations Lieutenant Justin Wooden, who was involved in both cases, corresponded with Clearview about the cases, according to emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the Daily Dot.
A Clearview employee sent an email referencing what appears to be a conversation with Wooden, writing “It’s great to hear that your department is already having success solving cases with Clearview.”
UIC wound up buying 12 months’ worth of Clearview technology for $2,500.
“[Clearview has] used this method of free trials and reaching out to a variety of both law enforcement, as well as private companies to share their tool in a way that is very dangerous,” said Caitlin George, campaign director for Fight for the Future’s Ban Facial Recognition movement. “Individuals used it without management or leadership understanding of the tool or agreement to use the tool.”
In UICPD’s case, it led to two suspects being identified and sought out, although charges were not brought in either case.
“A number of places ended up using the tool and doing a trial without a plan for use,” George said, highlighting the potentially reckless way in which police departments latched on to Clearview as it was offered for free.
Clearview, though, was happy to put forth a game plan for the technology.
In an email to officials at the University of Texas at Tyler obtained by the Daily Dot, the company highlighted how quick it was to get started. “It only takes one minute to install and start searching,” the company wrote and implored police departments to use it repeatedly.
“Search a lot. Your Clearview account has unlimited searches. Don’t stop at one search. See if you can reach 100 searches. It’s a numbers game.”
In a statement to the Daily Dot, Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That said that Clearview’s marketing to police departments was professional and designed to prevent abuse.
“Our company and its marketing materials have evolved over the years,” Ton-That said. “They are professional and reflect the services we provide. Clearview AI provides training to our law enforcement customers and has strong auditing features to prevent abuse.”
Marketing materials reviewed by the Daily Dot and sent to police departments did not mention training but highlighted a help line officers could contact.
The Clearview package UICPD bought included unlimited use of Clearview’s proprietary research system, unlimited access to Clearview’s proprietary database, and iPhone and desktop versions of Clearview.
UICPD did not respond to the Daily Dot’s inquiries on their use of facial recognition technology.
Clearview sparked controversy in the past as critics have pointed out that this technology could potentially lead to false matches. The ACLU rejected Clearview’s claims of “100% accuracy” and called for more rigorous testing of their technology.
Clearview contests that, saying its technology is more accurate than eyewitnesses.
“According to the Innocence Project, 70% of wrongful convictions come from eyewitness lineups,” Ton-That said to the Daily Dot. “Technology like Clearview is much more accurate than the human eye, and can be used to exonerate people and eliminate bias from the criminal justice system.”
Critics also raised concerns about privacy and fear of surveillance. Clearview uses a database of more than 3 billion photos and counting, which it scraped from social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
UIC community members reported not knowing about the use of facial recognition technology on campus. The use of it raised concerns among student groups that waged campaigns against surveillance and police presence on campus. Students for a Democratic Society [SDS] at UIC have been fighting against instances of surveillance at the school.
Junior Jack Lamberti, who is a core organizer for SDS, says that their organization is against any type of surveillance.
“It’s a diverse campus, and they could target Black and Latino students for sure. I think it’s worth having some sort of movement against it at UIC just because I feel like it’s something [that’s] just another example of police having too much power,” Lamberti said.
In one use case reviewed by the Daily Dot, the offender was reported as Black. Although charges weren’t filed in either case, facial recognition has previously led to wrongful arrests of people of color, and research has noted the racial bias of facial recognition technology. Reports show that facial recognition misidentifies people of color, especially Black people, at higher rates.
According to a report by BuzzFeed, more than 2,200 law enforcement agencies, companies, and individuals around the world worked with Clearview.
In April 2020, according to records, Clearview issued a partial refund to UICPD. It is unclear why, but around the same time, Chicago Police canceled its contract with Clearview in the wake of negative public press.