The Verge

Privacy row over FBI iris scan 'trial'

What started as a pilot in 2013 has grown into a database "without any public debate or oversight", said the American Civil Liberties Union.

It amounted to "runaway surveillance", director of technology Nicole Ozer tweeted.

The FBI said it was developing "best practices" for iris image capture.

The project was launched in September 2013 and has seen the FBI collaborate with agencies in Texas, Missouri and California.