In recent years, the hijab has become a point of contention between the public and the Iranian government as the country continues to crack down on those who fail to follow its strict dress code. But the country has just taken a new and extreme step in order to enforce its law – it will soon be using facial recognition technology to identify and punish women who are not wearing the hijab.
According to recent reports, Iran’s Islamic morality police plan to start using facial recognition technology to identify women in public who are not wearing a hijab. The technology is being deployed on the streets of Tehran and other cities in an effort to crackdown on women who are not following the dress code. The goal is to make sure that women are wearing the appropriate attire and do not transgress the Iranian laws regarding public attire.
The facial recognition technology will reportedly be used to compare photographs of women’s faces to a database of images already on file. Law enforcement officials will then have the ability to immediately determine if someone is out of compliance with the law. It’s not yet clear how the images will be collected and stored or what other non-hijab related crimes they may be used to enforce in the future.
The move has sparked an outrage among many Iranians, with some saying that the technology is a violation of both privacy and religious rights. Critics argue that the technology is an unnecessary step to ID and punish women for failing to follow the country’s dress code. Others say that this move by the Iranian government reflects the nation’s extreme disregard for human rights.
Time will tell if Iran’s Islamic morality police will make good on its promise to utilize facial recognition technology to enforce its dress code. For now, it’s important to remain aware of developments in the country. Unfortunately, it seems likely that such a move would only serve to further alienate women in the nation.
