The Metropolitan Police says it will expand its use of live facial recognition (LFR) cameras in central London. Under the plan, the technology is set to be deployed first in London’s West End by Christmas, with additional areas scheduled to be covered next year. The new cameras are described as fixed units, which may be mounted on street furniture such as lamp posts.
The move is presented by the Met as an extension of existing police technology use in a busy shopping and nightlife area. Critics, however, argue that the expansion could affect large numbers of people by effectively subjecting them to facial scanning in public spaces, characterising it as a “digital police lineup.”
Across the reports, the emphasis is on the timeline and geographic scope: an initial rollout to the West End by Christmas, followed by broader expansion across further locations in 2025. The coverage also reflects continuing public and political debate about surveillance technology and its implications for people in public places.
