Your Face Belongs to Us

‘A parable for our times’ FINANCIAL TIMES Best Books of 2023

'In a gripping — and sometimes creepy — book, Hill explores the repercussions of [facial recognition] technology and finds out who is behind it' THE TIMES Best Technology Books of 2023

‘Illuminating. A walk down the street will not feel quite the same again’ ECONOMIST

When Kashmir Hill stumbled upon Clearview AI, a mysterious startup selling an app that claimed it could identify anyone using just a snapshot of their face, the implications were terrifying. The app could use the photo to find your name, your social media profiles, your friends and family – even your home address. But this was just the start of a story more shocking than she could have imagined.

Launched by computer engineer Hoan Ton-That and politician Richard Schwartz, and assisted by a cast of controversial characters on the alt-right, Clearview AI would quickly rise to the top, sharing its app with billionaires and law enforcement. In this riveting feat of reporting Hill weaves the story of Clearview AI with an exploration of how facial recognition technology is reshaping our lives, from its use by governments and companies like Google and Facebook (who decided it was too radical to release) to the consequences of racial and gender biases baked into the AI. Soon it could expand the reach of policing — as it has in China and Russia — and lead us into a dystopian future.

Your Face Belongs to Us is a gripping true story. It illuminates our tortured relationship with technology, the way it entertains us even as it exploits us, and it presents a powerful warning that in the absence of regulation, this technology will spell the end of our anonymity.

LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD

'I loved this. A dark and gripping story, meticulously researched and stylishly told' JENNY KLEEMAN, author of Sex Robots & Vegan Meat

'Compelling . . . an engrossing cautionary tale' LITERARY REVIEW

‘The dystopian future portrayed in some science-fiction movies is already upon us. Kashmir Hill’s fascinating book brings home the scary implications of this new reality’ JOHN CARREYROU, author of Bad Blood