Draft:Facedonate

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FaceDonate
TypeSocial enterprise
IndustryCharity, Fintech, Social entrepreneurship
Founded2020
FoundersAlberto De Biasio, Alexandr Kulakov
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
ProductsDigital donation platform

FaceDonate was a British social enterprise app and web-based platform founded in 2020 by Alberto De Biasio and Alexandr Kulakov.

Overview

The platform allowed users to collect, match-fund, and distribute charitable donations. Beneficiaries created profiles without the need for a bank account or fixed address. Single donors and charities could fundraise and distribute funds to beneficiaries, and track how their donations were spent. Identification happened through face recognition technology, both for users wanting to access their funds and donors making a donation.[1] The collection and use of sensitive biometric technology to process donations raised concerns from digital rights, civil liberties, and privacy campaigners, who deemed it unethical and ultimately led to the termination of the service.

History

FaceDonate launched in 2020.

In a 2022 trial project called Phone to Food, devised by Hackney Food Bank and FaceDonate,[2] the platform was adopted to allow people to redeem food vouchers and purchase food and household items through a cashless system in participating supermarkets and markets. Hackney Foodbank chief executive Pat Fitzsimons stated that this technology could make donations traceable, reduce fraud, and improve workflows.[3][4]

In 2023, FaceDonate partnered with the Trussell Trust network to trial its facial recognition payment system in East London. After the one-year trial by Hackney Foodbank, it was announced that the FaceDonate app would be made available to all Hackney Foodbank users.[5] Initial news coverage highlighted the benefits of food autonomy, whereas human rights activists raised concerns over the collection of biometric data, questioning whether beneficiaries reliant on aid and food donations are in a position to give informed consent.[6][7]

Although the company stated that user data was not stored on the company's servers and accounts would be deleted upon request,[6] Silkie Carlo, the director of the Big Brother Watch campaign group, urged the Hackney Foodbank to end the partnership with FaceDonate, arguing that trading sensitive biometric data for food is ethically wrong,[1] and Access Now warned that biometrics data collection could put people at risk in the event of data leaks, identity theft and sale of data.[8]

In 2024, the Hackney Foodbank released a statement terminating FaceDonate's contract supplying the Phone to Food service.[9]

References

  1. Robert Booth (2023-06-13). "Campaigners urge London food banks to end use of face scans". The Guardian. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  2. "Making it easier to access food and household items". 2023-03-14. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  3. Will Noble (2022-12-02). "Hackney Food Bank Pioneers 'Buy What You Like' Vouchers". The Londonist. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  4. Tom Phillips (2023-05-11). "UK food bank lets users make in-store purchases with donated funds". NFCW. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  5. Chris Burt (2023-05-05). "London food bank rolling out face biometrics app for store purchases". Biometricupdate. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  6. Lin Taylor (2023-05-05). "UK food bank users swap face scans for free food". Context. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  7. Lin Taylor (2023-05-06). "Concern over privacy as UK food bank users swap face scans for free food". New Straits Times. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  8. Pramod Thomas (2023-05-05). "Facial recognition technology helps feed hundreds of struggling Britons". Eastern Eye. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  9. "Phone to Food". Hackney Foodbank. Retrieved 2026-04-27.

Category: Social enterprises Category: Charities based in London Category: Companies in the United Kingdom Category: Companies established in 2020 Category: Facial recognition