Older U.S adults, whites, Republicans more trusting of facial recognition use by law enforcement % in each group who say they trust law enforcement technology agencies recognition technology responsibly
When asked about their confidence that different entities will use facial recognition tools responsibly, the public expresses much greater trust in law enforcement agencies than in advertisers or technology companies. A 56% majority of U.S. adults trust law enforcement agencies at least somewhat to use facial recognition technologies responsibly, with 17% indicating that they trust these agencies a great deal to use facial recognition.
Several groups express relatively low levels of trust in law enforcement agencies to use facial recognition responsibly – most notably black adults, younger people and those who identify as Democrats. Roughly six-in-ten whites trust law enforcement agencies to use facial recognition tools, but that share falls to 43% among blacks (an 18 percentage point difference). Comparable gaps in trust exist between 18- to 29-year-olds and those ages 65 and older, as well as between Democrats (including political independents who lean toward the Democratic Party) and Republicans and Republican leaners. Prior surveys by the Center of broader public attitudes toward law enforcement have found that roughly eight-in-ten Americans have confidence that police officers will act in the best interests of the public, and that warm views toward the police are especially prevalent among whites, older adults and Republicans.
Older U.S adults, whites, Republicans  | more trusting of facial recognition use  | by law enforcement  | % in each group who say they trust law  | enforcement technology agencies  | to use facial  | recognition technology responsibly  | a great  | Somewhat  | SENET  | deal  | All adults  | 39%  | 17% 56%  | Ages 18 29  | 34  | 15  | 49  | 15  | 52  | 30-49  | 38  | 41  | 18  | 59  | 50-64  | 44  | 23  | 67  | 65+  | White  | 19  | 61  | 41  | Black  | 32  | 11 43  | Hispanic  | 41  | 16  | 56  | Dem/ Lean Dem  | 38  | 13  | 51  | Rep/Lean Rep  | 42  | 23  | 65  | Note: Respondents who gave other answers are snot shown. Whites  | and blacks include only non-Hispanics. Hispanics ware of any race  | Source: Survey of U.S. adults cond lucted June 3-17, 2019  | "More Than Half of U.S Adults Trust Law Enforcement to Use Facial  | Recognition Responsibly  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 