BirminghamLive readers have called for facial recognition technology to be deployed across crime-ridden areas of the city.

The calls from furious readers came after it emerged Birmingham's Millennium Point conference centre uses the controversial tool.

The widely visited attraction - which is home to Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, on Curzon Street, Digbeth - was identified in a new investigation.

Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch labelled use of the technology an "epidemic" and said its use on privately-owned sites was "deeply disturbing".

But plenty of Brummies disagree - and called for the tech to be rolled out across the city, most notably in Dale End.

The troubled area of Birmingham has made headlines over the last year with stabbings, brawls and disorder .

On Facebook, Ian Rixson wrote: "Birmingham is fast becoming a hell hole, crime is on the rise, less police on the streets (at the moment) it could be alot worse than facial recognition cameras looking at you.."

He continued: "Maybe the Army should be drafted in to control the most troubled areas."

Hannah Morris agreed, writing: "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about. We need more of these to help combat crime, Dale End needs to have these installed."

Ian agreed, adding: "Should be installed in Birmingham city centre... in fact anywhere in and around Birmingham troubled areas.

"If you have done nothing wrong then you have nothing to hide."

Lindsey added: "Makes me feel safer!"

Nicola, meanwhile, wrote: "Good it should be used all over UK - if you are law abiding citizen you have nothing to fear."

Jeffrey Morris wrote: "Doesn’t bother me in the slightest, make the streets safer pinpoint all the crooks knife & gun crime!"

Toby Huggan chipped in with: "They should install it at Dale End."

On Thursday, the Information Commissioner's Office announced it would launch its own investigation into the use of facial recognition cameras.

It comes after it was revealed scanners were being used in the King's Cross area of London.

The UK's data and privacy watchdog said it was "deeply concerned about the growing use of facial recognition technology in public spaces".

The watchdog is seeking "detailed information" about how it is used.

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he had written to the chief executive of the King's Cross development to raise his concerns.

Big Brother Watch chief executive Silkie Carlo said increasing use of the technology was placing personal privacy at risk.

"There is an epidemic of facial recognition in the UK," she said.

"The collusion between police and private companies in building these surveillance nets around popular spaces is deeply disturbing. Facial recognition is the perfect tool of oppression and the widespread use we've found indicates we're facing a privacy emergency.

"We now know that many millions of innocent people will have had their faces scanned with this surveillance without knowing about it, whether by police or by private companies."