Security News > 2021 > March > Facial Recognition Company Sued by California Activists
Civil liberties activists are suing a company that provides facial recognition services to law enforcement agencies and private companies around the world, contending that Clearview AI illegally stockpiled data on 3 billion people without their knowledge or permission.
The lawsuit says the company has built "The most dangerous" facial recognition database in the nation, has fielded requests from more than 2,000 law enforcement agencies and private companies, and has amassed a database nearly seven times larger than the FBI's.
The lawsuit said Clearview AI scrapes dozens of internet sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google and Venmo, to gather facial photos.
The company also offers its services to law enforcement even in cities that ban the use of facial recognition, the lawsuit alleges.
Several cities around the country, including the Bay Area cities of Alameda, San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, have limited or banned the use of facial recognition technology by local law enforcement.
A lawsuit filed in Illinois alleges the company violates that state's biometric privacy act, while privacy watchdogs in both Canada and the European Union have issued statements of concern.