SCOTTISH football officials have been criticised for seeking government support to introduce facial recognition technology to help fight offensive behaviour in stadiums from next season.
The Scottish Government and the Scottish leagues' governing body have reportedly met to discuss financial help for the multi-million pound scheme to identify offenders.
Recent cases of sectarian chanting and the use of smoke bombs and flares have prompted a discussion within the Scottish Professional Football League.
The proposal by the Scottish Professional Football League has already been met with criticism from protest group Fans Against Criminalisation which has been fighting to scrap the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 on the grounds that it is "fundamentally illiberal and unnecessarily restricts freedom of expression".
The group tweeted: "Another draconian development as the war on football fans continues. £2m on this whilst social services are cut #FAC.
"Facial recognition software for football fans? Is this really the kind of country we want to live in? #PoliceState #FansNotCriminals."
The SPFL is also considering imposing point deductions from next season for failing to control supporters in its moves to tackle offensive behaviour including sectarian singing and the use of flares.
The facial recognition proposal would be expected to pinpoint those who have previously been found guilty of prohibited behaviour. The creation of a database of fans who should be banned from grounds across the country is expected.
Clubs would be alerted if fans on the blacklist try to enter the stadium while banned.
Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan has called for the introduction of "strict liability" rules where clubs can be punished for the conduct of its fans regardless of whether the club itself is to blame. It would bring Scottish regulations in line with those used by Uefa for European competitions.
But it is understood that clubs are against the introduction of strict liability rules.
SPFL board member Mike Mulraney has said clubs should not be punished if they do all they can to prevent unruly behaviour.
The Alloa Athletic chairman said: "There’s no chance whatsoever of the clubs agreeing to strict liability - that’s pretty unanimous and it’s my view, 100 per cent.
"It is not the answer, it’s the one system proven to have failed repeatedly and I’m sure it would fail again.
"There is a working group ongoing now for 12 months and we are of a mind to make significant changes.
"That was discussed at length today and I’m sure that will become clearer as we get better feedback from our clubs and from our media partners.
"If clubs don’t take reasonable steps to ensure it (sectarian singing) doesn’t happen then they should be punished. But if they do what’s reasonable, should they be punished for something over which they have no control? No.
"They (clubs) should not always be punished for something that is outwith their control and when they have taken every step to ensure it doesn’t happen.
"It can’t all be about punishment. It’s got to be about how we help clubs manage a societal problem.
"I don’t think the current system is working. If it was, we wouldn’t have the problems we’ve currently got and we wouldn’t be used as a megaphone by those who want to partake in inappropriate behaviour."
Anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth has supported moves to introduce strict liability rules to Scottish football, with campaign director Dave Scott saying earlier this week that “people are fed up to the back teeth” with behaviour that the group maintains fuels religious bigotry.
The group has already written to the Scottish FA urging them to put strict liability on the agenda for the annual general meeting later this year.
On Monday Dundee United warned their supporters they are putting the club at risk of a stadium ban if they continued taking pyrotechnics to Tannadice.
The Taysiders reacted to an incident before Friday night's Ladbrokes Premiership 4-1 defeat to Celtic.
The SFA have been investigating events during Celtic's William Hill Scottish Cup tie at Stranraer last week, when flash bangs and smoke bombs were set off.
The SPFL board were on Tuesday expected to discuss issues surrounding sectarian singing heard during Rangers' match against Hibernian at Ibrox.
Chanting from sections of the home support reportedly made up part of the league delegate's report from the Scottish Championship game on 28 December.
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