Clearview under scanner for using Facebook, Instagram photographs for facial recognition
Privacy watchdogs found in Britain and Australia experience opened a joint investigation into face recognition business Clearview AI over it has the use of personal data “scraped” off social mass media platforms and different websites.
Thursday’s announcement by the U.K.’s Facts Commissioner’s Office and any office of the Australian Data Commissioner increases the global regulatory scrutiny the New York-based startup is facing.
“The investigation highlights the importance of enforcement cooperation in protecting the personal information of Australian and U.K. citizens in a globalised info environment,” the regulators explained in a short statement.
Clearview AI Inc. found attention after investigative information detailed its practice of harvesting billions of photos from social mass media and other offerings to identify people.
CEO Hoan Ton-That said found in a declaration that Clearview “searches publicly available images from the internet in accordance with applicable regulations. It is used to greatly help identify criminal suspects.”
The CEO noted that the technology is still unavailable in the U.K. and Australia and said the business will cooperate with regulators.
Canada’s federal privacy commissioner said this week a joint investigation of Clearview with provincial authorities remains open, even following the company said it could stop offering its face recognition products and services in Canada. It also intends to total its investigation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s make use of Clearview.
U.S. senators questioned the company this year over privacy considerations and the possible sales of its offerings to authoritarian regimes while Facebook, YouTube and Twitter demanded it give up collecting their users’ photos.
