The European Commission is planning a regulation, which will tighten the limits on the use of facial recognition technology. The regulation would give EU citizens’ rights over the use of their facial recognition data, marking a precedent in how the EU regulates artificial intelligence.
The European Commission wishes to reinforce European citizens’ protection, which is currently mandated under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The existing GDPR already prohibits the collection of biometric information used to identify individuals, unless the person gives explicit consent.
The new regulation is anticipated to require the reclassification of facial recognition data, as biometric data under GDPR, therefore explicit consent from the person in question will be necessary. Thus, the regulation will limit private companies’ and public authorities’ use of facial recognition technology and wider AI technology.