Does the European Parliament use Facial Recognition Technology?
Investigation by the International Commission of Civil Liberties (ICCL) has revealed that in 2015, the European Parliament had tendered for CCTV cameras that were equipped with facial recognition technology (FRT) – despite its public opposition to FRT. Moreover, security systems needed to be integrated with software created by a Dutch firm partnered with Chinese video surveillance company Hikvision. Notably, Hikvision is incorporated into the internment camps in Xinjiang for Uighurs.
It was only recently in 2021 that the European Parliament decided to remove cameras from its premises that were supplied by Hikvision. To gain more insight on how long the European Parliament has been using this facial recognition technology as well as if any other Hikvision equipment is still being used by them, ICCL has written a letter to the President of the European Parliament.
Raising an eyebrow of concern, the letter enquires whether the European Parliament’s usage of facial recognition capability extends further than previously reported and if so, does it continue to use Hikvision equipment? These questions demand answers and ICCL strives to attain clarity and transparency concerning the matter at hand.
Source: Does the European Parliament use Facial Recognition Technology? – Irish Council for Civil Liberties
