Evolv Express

Transparency and accountability 🙈

Marketing claims made by Evolv have repeatedly been questioned by journalists, independent security experts and others. 

• The company markets Evolv Express as being 'effective at preventing shootings' and as a 'line-free' system that requires 'no stopping,' emptying of pockets, or removing the contents of bags, and that fewer security staff are needed than with traditional metal detectors. But it has offered little evidence supporting these claims, and has refused IPVM permission to test its product. Commentators have pointed out that many school shootings are carried out by gunmen openly carrying their weapons.

• A Freedom of Information request made by IPVM and shared with the BBC showed Evolv had made multiple 'tracked changes' to the NCS4 test report, including deleting sections critical of Express, resulting in a partial 25-page public report. Evolv’s full, private report was made only available upon request with the company 'under non-disclosure to qualified security professionals with direct responsibility for deployment of Evolv Express,' drawing significant criticism. NCS4 evaluators said they 'Recommend full-transparency to potential customers based on data collected.' 

Risks and harms 🛑

Criticism has been voiced about the accuracy of Evolv's Express system, its dual-use potential and the truthfulness of its marketing. 

Civil rights advocates have also expressed concerns that Evolv Express and similar systems could easily be combined with other surveillance technologies, such as facial recognition.

Legal, regulatory 👩🏼‍⚖️

• Federal Trade Commission v Evolv Technologies Holdings (pdf)

• Federal Trade Commission. FTC Takes Action Against Evolv Technologies for Deceiving Users About its AI-Powered Security Screening Systems

Research, advocacy 🧮

• IPVM. Evolv reports

• ACLU (2022). Are Gun Detectors the Answer to Mass Shootings?

Investigations, assessments, audits 🧐

• National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (2022). Product Operational Exercise (pdf)

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://theintercept.com/2023/05/07/ai-gun-weapons-detection-schools-evolv/

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/05/20/evolv-metal-detectors-gun-detection/

• https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d3dw5/the-least-safe-day-rollout-of-gun-detecting-ai-scanners-in-schools-has-been-a-cluster-emails-show