Clearview AI has covertly gathered billions of facial images from individuals’ online photos, resulting in what the firm declares to be the world’s largest face recognition database. Those who value their privacy should exercise caution when posting photos online and endeavour to eliminate their presence from the Clearview AI database.
So, what is Clearview AI, and why should it be of concern to you? Additionally, how can you have your photos removed from the Clearview AI database?
What Is Clearview AI?
Clearview AI is an American enterprise that provides its clientele with facial recognition technology. The process entails submitting an image of an individual, which Clearview AI will match with public photos of that person and provide links to those appearances.
As per the Clearview AI website, the company presents the following solutions:
- Web-based facial recognition service for law enforcement agencies.
- Consent-based API for commercial markets.
- JusticeClearview for public defenders.
- Clearview mobile app for on-the-go users.
According to a BuzzFeed report, Clearview AI has clients such as the Justice Department, FBI, Homeland Security, and Walmart. The founder of Clearview AI claimed in a BBC report that the company has conducted one million searches for the US police department, with more than 30 billion images in its database. With the world’s population currently around 8 billion, Clearview AI may have up to four images of each person globally. However, the major issue is that these images have been collected without the users’ consent from social media, YouTube, and other online platforms.
If your photo has ever been posted on a social media platform or someone has posted a photo of you that shows your face, it is highly likely that Clearview AI has your faceprint in its database.
Clearview AI
As reported by various sources, Clearview AI faced legal action and regulatory fines over the alleged violation of privacy laws. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups filed a lawsuit against the company in the US in 2020, claiming that it violated Illinois digital privacy law. Clearview AI settled the lawsuit by agreeing to limit sales of its facial recognition software to law enforcement agencies only.
In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) found that the company breached data protection laws and ordered it to delete and stop using the personal data of UK citizens. Clearview AI was fined more than £7.5 million. Meanwhile, Italy’s data protection agency also instructed Clearview AI to delete the facial biometrics of Italian citizens and banned it from further processing their faceprints. The agency fined the company €20 million for breaches of EU law.
According to various reports, Clearview AI has faced fines and legal action from authorities around the world. The company was fined €20 million by French authorities and Greek privacy regulators for illegally collecting and processing faceprints of citizens. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office also fined Clearview AI more than £7.5 million for breaching UK data protection laws. Italy’s data protection agency fined the company €20 million and instructed it to delete facial biometrics of Italian citizens.
In Australia, Clearview AI was directed to stop collecting facial data of citizens and delete existing data after breaching the Australian Privacy Act. Similarly, Canadian authorities have deemed Clearview AI’s activities illegal and said that the company needs citizens’ consent to use their biometric information. Despite these actions, regulators are still struggling to prevent Clearview AI from scraping people’s photos from the internet.
Why you should be Worried about Clearview AI
Even if you are not concerned about the numerous privacy regulation breaches, you should still exercise caution regarding the contentious facial recognition model employed by Clearview AI.
Surveillance
The utilization of Clearview AI could pose a significant risk to civil liberties and freedom of speech, as it allows enforcement agencies and other entities in authoritarian regimes to clandestinely identify activists and individuals involved in civil societies.
Importance of Face Authentication in the Law Enforcement Sector
Invasion of Privacy
Privacy should be considered a fundamental right for important reasons, including the use of facial recognition technology by companies like Clearview AI. This technology enables users to identify people without their knowledge or consent, which is a clear invasion of privacy since many individuals may not even be aware that their online photos are being scraped and added to a global database of faceprints.
Cybersecurity Risk
Given that the company’s database was breached in the past, there is cause for concern regarding the vulnerability of Clearview AI’s purported 30 billion faceprints database to potential cybersecurity breaches.
To sum up, Clearview AI poses a grave danger to personal privacy. Those who use this contentious technology possess the ability to identify passersby on the street, individuals protesting discriminatory legislation, and activists advocating for social justice. Given its potential for misuse, oppressive regimes could readily exploit Clearview AI.
Misidentification
There is a proclivity for facial recognition technology to produce mismatches, particularly for individuals of color. Therefore, enforcement agencies that employ Clearview AI to recognize criminals may encounter erroneous matches, leading to unwarranted difficulties for innocent people.
How to get yourself out of Clearview AI’s Database
The possibility of removing your information from the Clearview AI database relies on your location and the relevant privacy laws that safeguard your rights. Currently, individuals residing in California and Virginia can complete forms to have their data deleted.
To access the Privacy & Requests menu, please go to the Clearview AI homepage and scroll down to the bottom.
Click on the Delete button to open a web form that will ask you to:
- Confirm if you’re a California or Virginia resident.
- Select the right you want to exercise (pick Delete My Information).
- Submit an email address so that the company can confirm that your request for data deletion has been completed.
- Submit a quality photograph.
For individuals residing in Illinois, clicking on the Opt-Out button will prompt an automated form to appear, allowing you to opt-out of being displayed in the Clearview AI database.
In the automated form for Illinois residents, you just have to click on the I Accept button to accept the Illinois Biometric Retention Policy agreement and submit your photo.
The View of Clearview AI
Residents of the aforementioned states have the option to opt-out of the Clearview AI database. However, for individuals residing in other states or countries, the Clearview AI website does not provide information on removing one’s information from their database.
Given that Clearview AI collects facial images from various online sources, refraining from posting pictures on platforms accessible to the public could potentially prevent Clearview AI from obtaining your faceprints and adding them to their database in the future.
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