New Zogby Poll Re-affirms Americans’ desire for Security … and Privacy

Although the use of video surveillance and facial recognition technology is increasingly common in the United States, the public harbors complicated opinions on their use -- and their impact on privacy – as a new Zogby International poll reveals. 

3VR recently teamed up with Zogby to ask Americans about their attitudes toward surveillance and facial recognition. The findings indicate that people crave the benefits of this technology – but only until it makes them feel as though their privacy is at risk.

For instance, Americans appreciate surveillance in airports and other places where security is important. A majority of respondents (57 percent) said that video surveillance makes them feel more secure because it hinders illegal activity.

The public is even more supportive of technology that uses facial recognition to detect criminal activity in airports. In fact, 66 percent of respondents replied that airport security with facial recognition would provide a positive impact. Interestingly, the most active supporters of this advanced technology are those aged over 65 years.

However, while Americans support the use of facial recognition to ensure their security, privacy concerns make them hesitant to fully embrace the technology. Now and in the future, success for these products will be tied to the success of their privacy measures.

Companies like 3VR have been taking these concerns into account for years. The company’s intelligent search capabilities, for example, allow users to implement privacy protections such as access control, encryption and face blurring.  

“Privacy enhancement has always been a core component of 3VR’s product strategy,” a 3VR representative said.  “Companies that don’t take these issues seriously aren’t listening to their customers.”

The Zogby poll found that each respondent’s answers also varied greatly depending upon whether they identified themselves as frequent travelers or hotel guests. While a majority believes that video surveillance improves security, it’s interesting that frequent travelers are more likely to view video surveillance as a privacy concern – most likely because they’re simply more aware of its presence.

And while travelers generally support video surveillance and facial recognition for security purposes, most disapprove of new "Minority Report" applications where they are recognized as frequent shoppers. A large majority of respondents either disapprove of services enhanced by facial recognition features (35 percent) or are not interested in the offering (43 percent). Frequent travelers took that aversion even further: 29 percent said they much less likely to stay at a hotel that participates in such applications and 20 percent are somewhat less likely.

Of course, the world needs both security and privacy; now, we have to find a balance between the two. Many current surveillance systems falling back on “dumb” cameras -- and require an army of people to watch them. No wonder Americans feel like their privacy is in danger. However, new technologies that enhance monitoring and visualization capabilities will bridge the gap between security and privacy. It’s just a matter of time before more people and companies begin demanding them.