Facial Recognition Technology: Is the UK Becoming a Surveillance State?

Facial recognition technology is expanding fast across the UK - from police vans and high streets to pubs, stadiums, and even private doorbell cameras - and many are asking whether we’re stepping into a world George Orwell warned us about decades ago. In this video, we break down what the UK Government’s new facial-recognition plans actually mean, why police forces are being encouraged to ramp up live and retrospective scanning, and how public opinion has shifted as the technology becomes impossible to avoid. We explore the accuracy concerns, the bias warnings, and the growing fear that innocent people could be misidentified in real time. We also look at the debate around prevention vs reaction: can facial recognition genuinely stop violent crimes before they happen, or does it only identify offenders after tragedy has already unfolded? With comparisons to 1984 and Big Brother, rising privacy concerns, and new government pledges to expand biometrics nationwide, this episode asks whether increased surveillance is making us safer - or simply more watched. Follow True Crime Catch Up on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to our solo podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠British Murders with Stuart Blues⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UK True Crime Podcast