Security News > 2021 > October > European Parliament calls for ban on AI-powered mass surveillance
The EU Parliament has voted in favor of a resolution that essentially calls for the ban of AI-powered biometric mass surveillance technologies such as facial recognition systems in the continent.
With today's decision, the European Parliament asks for a permanent ban on the automated recognition of individuals in public spaces, and the prohibition of predicting policing based on behavioral data.
The only exception in the ban are cases of criminal suspects, but even then, the use of facial recognition databases should be excluded from the available tools used for justifying or proving that person's culpability.
We are clearly opposed to predictive policing based on the use of AI as well as any processing of biometric data that leads to mass surveillance.
In a relevant report published today, the European Commission states they intend to boost private and public investment in AI technologies to €20 billion per year.
In the U.S., AI-assisted policing and mass-scale facial recognition systems are still not audited by a central authority or controlled by a comprehensive legislation, and at the same time, the adoption rates on both public and private sectors are now booming.