Two Italian cities have been reprimanded by data protection authorities for experimenting with facial recognition technology. “Smart glasses” and similar tech devices will remain banned until a special law is passed, or at least until the end of next year, the agency said.
The municipality of Lecce in southern Italy was also asked to provide a description of the systems used, their purpose and legal basis, and a list of the databases that the monitoring equipment can access. The privacy commissioner also targeted the Tuscan city of Arezzo, where local police will be equipped with super-infrared goggles that can recognize car number plates.
Justice and police excluded
Technologies that play a role in judicial investigations or crime fighting are exempt from the general prohibition. It is a “need to regulate the approval requirements, conditions and guarantees for facial recognition, taking into account the principle of proportionality,” said the top data protection officials.
Under current Italian and EU law, the processing of personal data using video equipment is generally permitted for reasons of public interest and related to the activities of public authorities. However, communities wanting to use these devices must sign a “city security pact” with central government officials, it said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
