The Police Are Increasingly Using Cameras at Demonstrations. Demonstrators are Being Monitored with Bodycams, Camera Systems in Vans, and Even Drones. Privacy and Human Rights Organizations Point out that the “Intimidating” Camera Surveillance Discourages People from Making Their Voices Heard.
The Right to Demonstrate is a fundamental right and an important part of a free democracy. But That is Under Pressure in the Netherlands, Accordance to Amnesty International and Bits of Freedom in Conversation with NU.nl. This is because the police are monitoring demonstrations with cameras in an increasingly “intensive” and “intimidating” manner. Because people know they are being filmed, they feel less free to demonstrate, The Organizations Say.
IF IT is up to the cda and the vvd, camera surveillance vending demonstrations will be further intensified. In a motion, the parties Asked to Investigate Whether the use of facial Recognition Cameras at Demonstrations Could Be Expanded. The motion was passed by a narrow majority.
But the use of cameras with real-time facial recognition is a no-go, accordance to professor of Philosophy of Technology Marjolein Lanzing of the University of Amsterdam. “Those Kinds of Cameras Constitute a huge infringement on People’s Privacy and Freedom and are Therefore Prohibited Under the New European Ai Act That Came Into Effect Last year.”
“The use of Facial Recognition can lead to people Refraining from demonstrating Because they are afraid of Being Registered by the Police,” Says a Spokesperson for the Dutch Data Protection Authority. “People must feel free to demonstrate, that is a fundamental right.”
Analyzing Images with Facial Recognition Software Afterwards
Although the Police Are Not Allowed to Use Cameras with Facial Recognition Duration Demonstrations, Recorded Images Can, According to Lanzing, Be Analyzed Afterwards with Facial Recognition Software. “The Police have a database with images of people who have already bone suspended or or convicted or violent crimes.”
But Such A Comparary Must Be Justifiable, Accordance to Lanzing. “A Serious Violent Crime Turning A Demonstration Could Be A Reason To Compare Images Of Suspects with the Database That The Police Already Have.”
Many Conerns About Cameras and Facial Recognition Systems
“We have bone concerned for some time about the use of facial recognition technology and other surveillance tools duration peaceful demonstrations,” Says a Spokesperson for Amnesty International. “It is unclear what happens to this data.”
“People Behave Differently when they know they are bee filmed,” Says Rejo Zenger or Bits of Freedom. “I know people who don’t participate in participate they are afraid of the long-term consequences. But also people who clear their social media accounts before a demonstration so that there is no visual that can be compared with facial recognition software.”
“It is Harmful if not everyone dares to make their voice heard and if the number of people who are willing to demonstrate decreases out of fear of cameras,” Says Assistant Professor Lanzing. “Everyone must feel free to criticize. It is of narrower Groups with Divergent Opinions who get the chance to make Themselves Heard Duration Demonstrations. That is important for our democracy.”
Risk That People Are Misidentified
The Dutch Data Protection Authority also points to the risk that Mistakes are made with facial recognition and that people are misidentified. “The Technology is not infallible. That hashet show by many incidents in the past.”
Accordance to a Police Spokesperson, Facial Recognition Technology is not used to identify participants in demonstrations. “But if a a demonstrator commits a criminal offense or crime by, for example, throwing a stone at the police, a criminal investigation can be initiated. The database can be used for this.
Accordance to Amnesty International, The Use of Facial Recognition Technology Can Deter People from Taking To The Streets. “And that is a great shame. Because it is precisely now, with all the unrest and concerns that people have, that it is important that people express their dissatisfaction and do not feel restricted in doing so.”