The European Union EU plans to impose strict restrictions on facial recognition technology, as Brussels is exploring laws to give citizens explicit rights to their data and ways to impose strict restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology in an effort to eliminate public surveillance coming to European citizens.

The European Commission plans to create a regulation that gives EU citizens explicit rights to use their facial recognition data as part of a comprehensive reform of the way Europe regulates artificial intelligence, according to senior officials who spoke to the Financial Times.

The EU aims to reduce the indiscriminate use of face recognition technology by companies and public authorities. European citizens should be given the power to know when facial recognition data is used, with tightly restricted exceptions to ensure proper use.

The Brussels initiative comes amid the disclosure of the use of face recognition to monitor crowds in areas such as the King Cross railway in London, which led to an investigation by the Office of the British Data Commissioner.

Although collecting biometric data that can be used to identify people is prohibited by GDPR laws, EU data protection agencies have not imposed a fine on any company that violates this prohibition.

The increasing use of surveillance technology in public places has brought to light legal face recognition technology. The new EU law, aimed at indiscriminate use of technology, is likely to affect how private companies, police and security authorities are allowed to use facial recognition for surveillance in public areas.

Brussels’ plans to legislate face recognition technology are part of the European Union’s drive to create ethical rules governing artificial intelligence.

Source : FT