Ban federal use of facialrecognition tools, groups urge
OTTAWA
Dozens of groups and individuals working to protect privacy, human rights and civil liberties want the Trudeau government to ban the use of facial-recognition surveillance by federal law-enforcement and intelligence agencies.
In an open letter to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, they call the technology “highly problematic,” given its lack of accuracy and invasive nature, and say it poses a threat to Canadians’ fundamental rights.
In the absence of meaningful policy or regulation governing facial recognition, it cannot be considered safe for use in Canada, they tell the minister.
The letter, made public Wednesday, is signed by Tim McSorley, national coordinator of the Ottawa-based International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, and Laura Tribe, executive director of Open Media, who are spearheading the campaign.
It is endorsed by 29 other prominent groups including Amnesty International Canada, the Canadian Federation of Students, the Canadian Muslim
Lawyers Association and Privacy International, as well as 46 academics, researchers, lawyers and other civilsociety members.
The letter also calls on the government to initiate a meaningful public consultation on all aspects of facial-recognition technology in Canada and to establish clear, transparent policies and laws regulating its use, including reforms to federal privacy law.
The government responded Wednesday by saying it is reviewing legislation, policies and programs related to all emerging technologies, including facial recognition.
The letter to Blair comes as concerns mount over police killing and mistreatment of Black and Indigenous people, prompting widespread discussion about curbing the powers and resources of law-enforcement agencies.
“At a time like this, the public should be certain of the fact that their rights and freedoms are protected,” the letter says.
The federal privacy commissioner said this week that U.S. firm Clearview AI will stop offering its facial-recognition services in Canada in response to an investigation by the commissioner and three provincial counterparts.
Clearview AI’s technology worries many privacy advocates because it apparently allows for the collection of huge numbers of images from various sources with the aim of helping police forces, financial institutions and other clients identify individuals.
Clearview’s retreat includes an indefinite suspension of the company’s contract with the RCMP, its last client in Canada.