Utilizing Information Technology for Criminal Investigations and Its Regulations

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13353
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05050:Criminal law-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba (2023); Kyorin University (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Ozaki Aimi 筑波大学, ビジネスサイエンス系, 准教授 (40805230)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 顔認証技術 / 捜査 / プライバシー / 萎縮効果 / 差別 / 公平性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the United States, it has been pointed out through the campaigns of researchers and human rights organizations that facial recognition technology has the potential to promote prejudice and discrimination. It has also been pointed out that facial recognition technology, when used to monitor demonstrations in public spaces, has the potential to stifle the exercise of constitutionally protected freedom of speech. At the warrant review stage, it seems difficult to estimate the attrition effect and fairness, which are the aggrieved interests of searches using facial recognition technology. If this is the case, legislative control of facial recognition technology use investigations is necessary.
In Japan, facial recognition technology is widely used not only for commercial purposes, but also in official situations such as crime prevention. Therefore, in Japan, legal regulations should be formulated for each use case, based on a basic policy for the system as a whole.

Free Research Field

刑事訴訟法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

顔認証技術をめぐっては、研究者や人権保護団体による運動を通じて問題点が指摘され、報道にも大きく取り上げられることにより、立法に至るという現象が米国を中心に観測されている。ここにおいては、判例による法発展は見込まれず、裁判所が立法論的解釈を示すことも難しい。そこで、本研究においては、顔認証技術利用捜査について、主体・目的・エリア・フレームワークといった各チャートを組み合わせることにより、様々な類型が存在することを明らかにしつつ、顔認証技術利用捜査の被侵害利益という視点から整理を行った。この点において、本研究は、今後の立法に向けた視座を提示することができたものと考える。