The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is set to launch a new mobile app called ReportIn that uses facial recognition technology to monitor individuals who have been ordered to leave Canada. The app will use biometrics to verify identities and track locations when users check in. Documents show the CBSA has been considering this app since 2021.
A CBSA spokesperson confirmed that ReportIn will be available this fall. However, experts have raised concerns about user consent and the transparency of the technology’s decision-making process.
Why The Need to Track Deportation?
Every year, about 2,000 people who are ordered to leave Canada do not comply, requiring the CBSA to invest significant resources in tracking them down. The agency believes the ReportIn app is an “ideal solution” to this problem. By regularly updating information such as residential address, employment, and family status, the CBSA hopes to gather relevant data that could indicate potential non-compliance.
If someone fails to appear for removal, the information from the app will provide leads for locating them. The app will replace older biometric voice technology, which is being phased out due to reliability issues.
How Will CBSA’s Facial Recognition App Work?
The ReportIn app will collect facial biometrics and location data via the user’s smartphone. This data is sent to the CBSA’s system, where a facial comparison algorithm checks for a match with a reference photo. If the system doesn’t confirm a match, officers will investigate.
While the app won’t constantly track users, it will collect location data each time a user checks in. The technology used in the app comes from Amazon Web Services (AWS), which has sparked concerns from experts like Brenda McPhail of McMaster University. She noted that AWS has not voluntarily submitted its facial recognition algorithms for testing by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), raising questions about the app’s reliability.
An AWS spokesperson countered that their Rekognition technology is rigorously tested by third parties, including Credo AI and iBeta Quality Assurance, which is accredited by NIST.
The CBSA has stated that the algorithm used in the app will remain a trade secret, leading to concerns about transparency. Kristen Thomasen from the University of Windsor warned that legal protections for trade secrets might prevent individuals from understanding how decisions about their cases are made.
CBSA spokesperson Maria Ladouceur said the app allows foreign nationals and permanent residents to report without visiting a CBSA office in person. The CBSA worked closely with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on the app, ensuring that enrollment is voluntary and that users must consent to using their likeness for identity verification.
Concerns with CBSA’s Facial Recognition App
However, Petra Molnar from York University’s refugee law lab pointed out the power imbalance between the CBSA and those required to use the app, questioning whether true consent is possible. If users don’t consent, they can still report in person as an alternative.
There are also concerns about the accuracy of facial recognition technology, particularly for racialized individuals and those with darker skin. Molnar criticized the lack of discussion around human rights impacts in the CBSA’s documents.
The CBSA assured that Credo AI reviewed the app for demographic bias and found a 99.9% facial match rate across different groups. The app will continue to be tested post-launch to ensure accuracy and performance. While a human officer will make the final decision on cases, experts caution that people tend to trust technology’s judgments, even when human oversight is involved.
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