In France, the Senate voted on a bill allowing facial recognition using biometric technology in public spaces as part of security measures. The facial recognition technology bill with artificial intelligence technology was approved by the Senate with 226 votes to 117.
The bill, which has been criticized by human rights defenders for violating individual freedoms, provides the opportunity to recognize people by their faces and obtain their identity information by using artificial intelligence technology.
With the technology intended to be put into practice before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, suspects will be able to be remotely identity scanned through cameras.
Concerned about the use of technology in discrimination activities
There are concerns that the technology, if enacted, will be used in the country specifically for discrimination based on gender and ethnicity.
The French Senate is also discussing the so-called “Law of Justice”, which allows for remote intrusion into the digital devices of suspects.
The article of the bill, which enables microphones and cameras to be activated in order to record audio and video from digital devices such as phones, computers and tablets of suspects in cases such as terrorism and organized crime, and to monitor their positions, was adopted on 8 June.
Bills passed in the Senate must also be approved by the National Assembly to become law.
AA