A leaked EU Commission white paper proposes that the EU place a 3 to 5 year ban on facial recognition technology within public places.
As exciting as it all seems—this ability to instantly gain access, perform transactions or even pay bills by simply scanning your face!—there is without a shadow of a doubt, a scary dark side. The fact that in today’s world there is an app which allows others to compare a photo to a database of more than 3 billion photos in order to identify an individual paints a vivid picture of the privacy risks associated with facial recognition.. It is no surprise then that the EU Commission is considering a placing a ban on facial recognition technology.
An Euractiv news report explains that the European Commission is considering measures to impose a temporary ban on facial recognition technologies used by both the public and private sector. This proactive suggestion is presented in an EU draft white paper obtained by Euractiv.
Euractiv expounds that the Commission paper, which gives an insight into proposals for a European approach to Artificial Intelligence, stipulates that a future regulatory framework could “include a time-limited ban on the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces.” It is further proposed that during the ban, a sound methodology for assessing the impact of facial recognition and possible risk management measures could be identified and developed.
Facial recognition falls under the umbrella of biometric data and must therefore be collected, handled and saved in accordance with the GDPR and the UK’s Data Protection Act. Aphaia, presents a more detailed view of the GDPR’s stipulations concerning facial recognition here.
Does your company utilize biometric data such as fingerprinting, voiceprinting and facial recognition? If yes, failure to adhere fully to the guidelines and rules of the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 could result in a hefty financial penalty. Aphaia provides both GDPR adaptation consultancy services, including data protection impact assessments, and Data Protection Officer outsourcing. Contact us today.
