FIGHTING FOR

A BAN ON BIOMETRIC MASS SURVEILLANCE IN PUBLIC SPACES

OUR GOVERNMENTS WANT TO SPY ON US

Throughout the EU, governments are experimenting with highly intrusive systems of facial recognition and other biometric mass surveillance in public spaces.

BUT WE’RE NOT OKAY WITH THAT

These technologies fuel mass surveillance and racial discrimination. Biometric surveillance is an enormous breach of our right to privacy. It happens without our consent and its effects are chilling. Technology that tracks and classifies us if we look nervous or stressed, if we dress or look different, or if we’re just acting plain weird, should simply not exist in a democratic society where we have the right to be free and the right to our privacy.

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Stay informed about our work on biometric mass surveillance in Europe

WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT IT?

We need the European Commission to impose a ban of biometric mass surveillance technologies throughout the European Union and to acknowledge the adverse effect ofbiometric surveillance methods on our fundamental rights.

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OUR DEMANDS/ACTION POINTS

We want a ban on indiscriminate biometric surveillance in public spaces.

This means we want to prohibit:
:x: Cameras on the streets, at demonstrations or at events that : identify you, monitor your mood or movements, or follow where you go

This following should be allowed:
:coche_blanche: You can still unlock your phone with your face
:coche_blanche: Any other face verification technologies to verify a person is who they say they are

OUR CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

Filter
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Two women facing security cameras mounted on wall above / CC0 Matthew Henry
Two women facing security cameras mounted on wall above / CC0 Matthew Henry
Opinion |

Protecting Privacy: Biometric Mass Surveillance and the AI Act

Patrick Breyer Sergey Lagodinsky Kim Van Sparrentak
Opinion by Patrick Breyer & Sergey Lagodinsky & Kim Van Sparrentak
In the face of emerging technologies like biometric mass surveillance, fighting for our right to privacy is more important than ever.
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Letter |

Vote to stop a future of biometric mass surveillance in Europe!

41 MEPs from different political groups call the French Parliament to stop an unprecedented planned automated mass surveillance of citizens’ behaviour in public using artificial intelligence. This call comes ahead of the vote on planned legislation for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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Event |

Stopping Biometric Mass Surveillance in Europe

Civil society organisations from several European countries will meet Members of the European Parliament for a discussion on the use of biometric surveillance systems, one of the greatest threats to our fundamental values and democracy in Europe and across the world. Join the discussion
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End Mass Surveillance video thumbnail
End Mass Surveillance video thumbnail
Video |

New tools of oppression? Here's why Italy banned mass surveillance

What is biometric mass surveillance? Why is it so dangerous? And what can we do to ban the use of our biometric data to protect our privacy?
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©michal-jakubowski
Public surveillance cameras
Event |

Stop Biometric Surveillance - Time for an EU ban on biometric mass surveillance in public spaces

The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament invites you to an open event at MEET Digital Culture Center in Milan to discuss the urgent need to ban biometric mass surveillance in the EU.
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©mika-korhonen
Football Game
Event |

Race to the bottom? Biometric technology, sports events and human rights in Europe

Are sports events a gateway into normalising the use of surveillance technologies in our cities? What is the impact of biometric mass surveillance, such as high-tech facial recognition in public spaces, on your human rights? Is it even legal, and if not, how can the use of this intrusive technology be justified by governments across Europ…
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CC0 ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona
Black and white track lanes
Opinion |

‘Sportswashing’ – Why the Beijing Winter Olympics pose a threat to human rights

Patrick Breyer Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield
Opinion by Patrick Breyer & Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield
Are mass-scale sports events being used to normalise the use of surveillance technologies in our cities? Biometric mass surveillance, like high-tech facial recognition, is on the rise - but what is the cost to our human rights?
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Study |

Impacts of the use of biometric and behavioural mass surveillance technologies on Human Rights and the Rule of Law

Public authorities justify the implementation and further development of biometric and behavioural technology as a need that requires no discussion, in order to fight terrorism and ensure security. This study includes a summary of the legal framework that regulates the use of such technologies, in addition to an analysis of the ways in wh…
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©matthew-henry
surveilance
Event |

LIVE WEBINAR: Current practices of biometric mass surveillance in the EU

On 25 October, the Greens/EFA group will publish its report on the current practices of biometric mass surveillance in the EU. Join us to learn more about these practices, to what extent they are effective and the risks that they pose to fundamental rights! Register now!
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©matthew-henry
Surveillance cameras  ©matthew-henry
Study |

Biometric and behavioural mass surveillance in EU Member states

The aim of this report is to establish a problematised overview of what we know about what is currently being done in Europe when it comes to remote biometric identification (RBI), and to assess in which cases we could potentially fall into forms of biometric mass surveillance.

The biometric outrun

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament launches a social impact video game, raising awareness on the urgent need to ban biometric surveillance in public spaces.

The playful, yet serious game will be used to inform and generate a deeper interest in the broader public about the risks of biometric data gathered in public spaces.

The player’s task is to navigate through public places and try to avoid different levels of surveillance systems. The pedagogic setting of the game calls on the player to collect real information, like news and articles, about the current state of the debate on the ban of biometrics. Each stage, however, brings the player to a higher level of surveillance.



PLAY THE GAME NOW (BROWSER ONLY)

or download for free here:



interactive map on current practices of biometric mass surveillance in the European Union

The map displays the current deployments and the actors of remote biometric identification (RBI) technologies in the EU