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> that it is only practical

You're missing the point, it doesn't have to be practical, only the illusion of it working is good enough.

And if authoritarian governments believe it works well enough, they are happy to let a decent fraction of false positives fall through the cracks.

See for example, polygraph tests being used in court.

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Exactly. The President of the United States held up a terribly photoshopped picture of some tattoos and claimed it clearly showed membership in MS13. Half the country immediately decided that was good enough proof for extrajudicial rendition. Authoritarians only care about a thin enough veneer of evidence to give them just enough cover with just enough people to get away with what they want and then move onto the next thing.

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