This article fits into this puzzle in some way. I only just sped read it, and I'm going to have to read it again more closely, but the gist is that there are databases of faces being shared without any consent. I had never heard of IARPA. I'd heard of DARPA. Apparently DARPA has a cousin.

https://www.ft.com/content/cf19b956-60a2-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e