British Columbia Court Upholds Ban on Clearview AI’s Facial Data Collection

A significant legal decision in British Columbia has upheld restrictions on facial recognition company Clearview AI’s data collection practices. The Supreme Court of British Columbia’s ruling maintains a ban on Clearview AI’s collection and sale of facial biometric data without consent in the province, following a pattern of Canadian privacy commissioners’ opposition to the company’s operations.

The court determined that Clearview AI’s practices of gathering and commercializing facial biometric information violated British Columbia’s data privacy laws. This ruling reinforces existing limitations on the company’s operations within the province and lines up with previous Canadian regulatory actions that deemed the company’s data collection methods equivalent to mass surveillance.

The decision comes amid broader discussions about facial recognition technology regulation. Civil society organizations have advocated for clear guidelines governing these systems, particularly as government agencies increasingly adopt facial recognition solutions. Access Now, a digital rights organization, has specifically called for careful oversight of facial image collection practices, stating that any exceptions to bans on non-targeted scraping must align with established legal frameworks.

The British Columbia ruling represents part of a broader pattern of legal challenges to Clearview AI’s operations across multiple jurisdictions. The company’s facial recognition technology and data collection methods have faced scrutiny from privacy advocates and regulatory bodies in various regions, including recent concerns raised by U.S. Senator Edward Markey about the technology’s use in law enforcement and strict guidelines issued in Australia for commercial facial recognition deployment.

Sources: CB Insights, Posteo, Access Now

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January 20, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team