Facial recognition firm, ClearView AI, is now being asked by a couple of privacy watchdogs in Canada to stop collecting biometric data from its citizens without any consent.
AI (artificial intelligence) security cameras using facial recognition technology are displayed at the 14th China International Exhibition on Public Safety and Security at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing on October 24, 2018.
ClearView AI has been facing numerous legal troubles around the world for allegedly violating the privacy laws under their jurisdictions.
In fact, last Dec. 3, the AI firm faced a $19 million fine from the United Kingdom for violating its data protection laws, according to the report by CPO Magazine.
Now, the United States AI firm is facing scrutiny in the Canadian territory.
ClearView AI Asked to Stop Collecting Biometric Data
As per the news story by GlobalNews.ca, a total of three provincial privacy watchdogs in various provinces in Canada, such as Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia, ordered the facial recognition firm to delete the images that it has collected without any permission.
The binding order from the three provinces of Canada comes after the authorities, along with the office of the federal privacy commissioner, Daniel Therrien, have concluded their investigation against the firm.
Back in February, the said watchdogs discovered the facial recognition tech of ClearView AI violated both the provincial and federal laws of Canada, which concerns the personal information of its citizens.
To be precise, they found out that the facial recognition tech went on to carry out mass surveillance of Canadian folks.
On top of that, the investigation also claimed that the facial recognition firm has been collecting images of people from the internet, which has already reached a billion mark.
The scrapped images online are reportedly being given away to financial organizations, authorities, as well as their other clients.
The watchdogs further noted that such activities by the firm are against the privacy rights of the citizens of Canada.
ClearView AI Told to Stop Offering Services
In addition to that, the orders from the provincial watchdogs told Clearview AI to cease offering its services to their locations as well.
However, it is worth noting that the US-based firm has already stopped its operations in the Canadian nation since 2020. But still, the facial recognition company is hinting at its return to the region.
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ClearView's Response
Meanwhile, the lawyer of ClearView AI, Doug Mitchell, said that the firm was only collecting the biometrics of people around the world from public data. He also argued that ClearView is a search engine like Google.
Mitchell further added that the recent orders from the provincial authorities are beyond their jurisdiction.
The ClearView lawyer said that the latest requirement from the watchdogs is "contrary to the Canadian constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression."
It comes as he claims that the move "restricts the free flow of publicly available information."
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Written by Teejay Boris
