The ability of a police force to recognise our faces as we walk down the street is now operational. A step further towards Dystopia or a comforting support, knowing that a benevolent force is looking out for us, sifting the criminal wheat from the law-abiding chaff?
It’s a tough one: for a culture staunchly opposed to ID cards we have quietly accepted the installation of a CCTV network whose depth of coverage is pretty remarkable (I believe London is currently the most surveilled city in the world).
One thing is certain - there is no turning back...
The Metropolitan Police has announced it will use live facial recognition cameras operational for the first time on London streets.