The indiscriminate use of FRT globally by law enforcement and other government agencies is dangerously normalising surveillance. The full harmful impacts and effects of this technology on people’s lives are only beginning to emerge. A new INCLO report showcasing FRT stories from around the world flags the risk of creating societies where people are watched and identified when they attend a protest, take part in religious events, visit a doctor or just go about their daily lives. The publication makes a strong case for the need of robust laws to safeguard citizens’ rights and open, public, democratic debate about the use of this controversial technology.
The International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO) marks International Data Privacy and Protection Day on 28 January at 1PM UTC with the online event launching its latest report, In Focus – Facial Recognition Stories and Rights Harms from around the World. The publication is a compilation of stories showing how the use of FRT impacts the rights and everyday lives of citizens across 13 countries in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. Each story in the report is unique but, considered together, they reveal how this harmful surveillance has become pervasive and entrenched in private and public spheres across the world.
The launch takes the form of a live panel discussion between surveillance and privacy experts from the European Union’s Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and INCLO member organizations who will share perspectives from Canada, India, Israel, the US, and South Africa.
Tamás Molnár, of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, will give the opening address adding a European Union perspective to that of the US, Canada, India, Israel and South Africa brought by Brenda McPhail, Director of Privacy, Technology and Surveillance Project at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association; Edwin Makwati, Attorney and Legal Research Officer at the Legal Resources Centre in South Africa; Gil Gan-Mor, Director of the Civil and Social Rights Unit at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel; Nathan Wessler, Deputy Director of the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project at the American Civil Liberties Union; Siddharth Seem, Law Officer at the Human Rights Law Network in India. The event is moderated by Olga Cronin, Policy Officer, Surveillance and Human Rights at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and INCLO.
Online launch event
Thursday, 28 January at 1PM UTC / 8AM EST / 6:30PM India / 3PM IST / 3PM SAST Event registration: https://bit.ly/3qHLVIp
Live streaming on YouTube: https://bit.ly/39NQR7M