NSA collecting millions of images for identifying intelligence targets via facial recognition

The National Security Agency is reportedly collecting multitude of images for facial recognition programmes via interception of global communications, on a daily basis, to recognize and track intelligence targets.

NSA spokesperson Vanee Vines said that the surveillance agency would not be doing its job if it did not seek ways to continuously improve the precision of signals intelligence activities, which aims to counteract the efforts of valid foreign intelligence targets to disguise themselves or conceal plans to harm the United States and its allies.

Vines added that the lawful collection of foreign identity intelligence allows NSA to better identify and track such targets.

CNET reports that the agency is using sophisticated software to harvest 'millions of images per day' from emails, text messages, social media, videoconferences, and other communications, according to classified documents described by The New York Times.

It focused significantly on collecting telephone and email communications data, which could revolutionize how the agency tracks surveillance targets, according to the documents, which were obtained by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, the report said.