FACIAL recognition technology could lead to Big Brother-style mass surveillance, an MSP has claimed, as fresh concerns were raised about Police Scotland's use of the controversial technology.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and the force's oversight body, the Scottish Police Authority, both insisted the software was being used appropriately.
But Alison McInnes, the Lib Dem MSP who uncovered Police Scotland's extensive use of the technology, called for strict regulations to be put in place after questioned the minister at Holyrood.
Alex Johnstone, the Conservative MSP, also voiced concerns, saying it could be a small step towards Big Brother-style state surveillance.
It was revealed on Tuesday that Police Scotland confirmed has uploaded 601,837 mugshots of 334,594 Scots to the UK-wide Police National Database.
The force, responding to a Freedom of Information request, also revealed it had used face recognition software to search the database on 440 occasions.
It said images were uploaded when a suspect was charged with an offence but only retained on the system if they were subsequently convicted under a "weeding" procedure.
The database contains more than 18 million images and has sparked concerns over privacy in England following claims that hundreds of thousands of innocent people are included.
Questioned at Holyrood, Mr Matheson said he was satisfied the technology was being used appropriately.
He told MSPs: "I think it's important the we keep a level perspective around these matters.
"Trying to wrap this into armed police officers and stop and search again is just blowing it all out of proportion, to be perfectly frank."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Police Authority said: "The SPA is well aware that Police Scotland upload images to this database, as of course does every other police service in the UK.
"That position has been in the public domain for some time.
"Clearly there is always a balance to be struck between the use of personal information to prevent and detect crime, and the rights of the individual.
"Scotland has developed a strong reputation in recent years for its approach to data retention."
But Ms McInnes warned inadequate safeguards were in place to prevent innocent people from being wrongly identified as the police sought to find matches on the database.
She said: "Fingerprint and DNA evidence have been mistaken in the past, leading to miscarriages of justice.
"That is why legislation was introduced to govern how it is managed.
"Surely the use of this latest biometric software, facial recognition technology, should be subject to similarly rigorous regulations?
"The Cabinet Secretary simply doesn't get it.
"It may be that custody mugshots can be uploaded to the national database legitimately.
"The real questions surround how the police can then try to identify people on the street using this raw technology and, crucially, in what circumstances this would be appropriate."
Tory MSP Mr Johnstone said: "Nobody doubts that this type of database is useful for intelligence and bringing criminals to justice.
"However, the type of technology being used on the Police Scotland database could be seen to be intrusive or even as state surveillance through the back door.
"The police force, therefore, needs to be as transparent as possible in communicating its actions to the public and how this system potentially affects them.
"There's nothing to stop law-abiding people from being tracked on this system through face recognition.
"It's quite concerning that these little steps could lead to the cumulative effect that big brother really is now watching us without our knowledge."
ends
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