Download Fest goers were human guinea pigs in spy tech experiment, admit police

Mass surveillance exercise didn't catch a single criminal

You didn't read the small print and now you're on a police database

The plod explained that the following text was used:

Recording, Transmission and Exhibition

You agree that the event for which you purchase tickets is a public event, that your appearance and actions inside and outside the venue where the event occurs are public in nature, and that you have no expectation of privacy with regard to your actions or conduct at the event. You grant permission to us and the Event Provider(s) to utilize your name, image, likeness, acts, poses, plays, appearance, movements, and statements in any live or recorded audio, video, or photographic display or other transmission, exhibition, publication or reproduction made of, or at, the event (regardless of whether before, during or after play or performance) for any purpose, in any manner, in any medium or context now known or hereafter developed, without further authorization from, or compensation to, you or anyone acting on your behalf.

While essentially assuming the consent of the public, the statement does not inform attendees of the use of automated facial recognition software.

Public gripes about the roll-out suggests that Leicestershire Police did not adequately inform those attending, and strong-armed consent by tacking it onto the back of the tickets in the small print. The Register asked the force whether it believed people at Download were adequately informed.

"Yes we do," the police replied, "being photographed is a condition of entry and the facial recognition software does not take or store anyone's photograph unlike CCTV and I refer you back to the answer given to you on the response to your FOI and the wording on the ticket."

When asked if they would use a different method of outreach if facial recognition was to be deployed again, the force told us:

There are currently no further plans to use facial recognition software in a mobile environment but, should the force decide to use it again, decisions on how it would be used would be decided during a detailed planning process and decisions made on a case by case basis.

Other than the gripes regarding the facial recognition work, the police presence at Download is widely appreciated by festival-goers, and the force is keen to promote its constables as amiable and easy to engage with.

WARNING: THE POLICE VIDEO BELOW CONTAINS FLASHING IMAGES.

Police video showing how cool they are. Honest

The discretion of the officers is presumably among the most dearly appreciated of their traits, with only two drugs offences reported in 2015.

Leicestershire's chief constable, Simon Cole, stated that the force always works "closely with[the Download Festival organisers] to keep people and their property safe and the very low crime figures this year suggest that our joint crime reduction strategy worked."

Defending the use of the volunteer-detecting facial recognition systems, Cole added: "Police forces face many challenges when tackling crime and I think it would be wrong of us if we didn't adopt modern technology to help us in that fight." ®