JANUARY 17, 2019
Amazon Shareholders Move to Stop Selling Facial Recognition Tech to Government Agencies
A group of Amazon shareholders are looking to force a vote at the upcoming annual meeting to prevent the company from selling its facial recognition technology to the government until the company’s board of directors has a chance to look at the societal impacts.
“Shareholders request that the Board of Directors prohibit sales of facial recognition technology to government agencies unless the Board concludes, after an evaluation using independent evidence, that the technology does not cause or contribute to actual or potential violations of civil and human rights,” five shareholder groups wrote in a resolution released publicly Thursday. The resolution was submitted by lead filer Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood and four co-filers: The Sisters of St. Francis Charitable Trust (Dubuque), Sisters of St Francis of Philadelphia, Maryknoll Sisters and Azzad Asset Management.
https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/01/amazon-shareholders-move-stop-selling-facial-recognition-tech-government-agencies/154255/