Reclaiming Recognition: A Photographic Perspective of Facial Recognition Systems in Visual Culture

Abstract

“Reclaiming Recognition: A Photographic Perspective of Facial Recognition Systems in Visual Culture” examines the influence of photography on facial recognition systems as part of visual culture. Because facial recognition relies on the photographic face image as a foundational component, an analysis of the computational image facilitates a productive approach to understanding facial recognition as a relational practice. While many current approaches to regulation and policy focus on facial recognition as a technology, my research draws attention to facial recognition as a system. Engaging theoretical concepts from multiple disciplines, including visual studies, art history, media and communication, philosophy, feminist science and technology studies, computer science, and AI, this thesis applies a diffractive methodology to reconfigure not only how the face image functions as a photographic entity, but also how facial recognition functions as part of larger socio-technical systems. I explore how evolving theories of photography as a “networked image” overlap, engage, and come against computational theories, and how situated social, political, and economic contexts condition the fluidity of non/representation, in/visuality, and im/materiality of the face image. Re-cognizing facial recognition through the lens of visual-computational culture opens potential opportunities to reapproach regulation and policy. I propose ways of engaging with facial recognition specifically, and artificial intelligence in general, that are collectively beneficial.

Date of Award	25 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Tom Laurenzo (Supervisor) & Daniel C HOWE (Supervisor)