Disclosure sparks new privacy fears

Kimberly Del Greco, a deputy assistant director at the FBI, emphasized that the bureau only uses facial recognition technology to help out with ongoing criminal investigations.

But that failed to assuage lawmakers from both parties at the hearing, who accused federal agencies of failing to implement adequate privacy and accuracy guardrails before deploying the technology across the country. They warned repeatedly that the committee is planning to take concrete steps to address those concerns.

After the hearing, Oversight members from both parties told The Hill they would support a full moratorium on facial recognition technology until stakeholders can address civil rights and liberties concerns.

“Although the Committee has not called for a broad moratorium at this stage, I personally feel that we should consider it, and we will be continuing our robust bipartisan oversight of this issue to develop common-sense, concrete reforms that the whole Committee can support,” Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said in a statement.