On Monday, Italy outlawed the use of facial recognition technologies, a contemporary security measure. Two municipalities were criticized by the nation’s privacy watchdog, the Data Protection Agency, for testing facial recognition technology and “smart spectacles.” According to Euro News, it ordered that its usage be prohibited until a particular law is passed, which it predicted would only happen at the end of next year.
Facial recognition technologies help validate a user’s identification
While smart glasses can be useful for persons with vision impairments because of the AI incorporated in them, facial recognition technologies help validate a user’s identification. These gadgets can take information from photographs and talk it back to users in various ways.
However, there is an exception to the imposed ban. If the use of the tech is required to support judicial investigations or fight crimes, these biometric data-based systems can still be used. The agency in a statement said, “The moratorium arises from the need to regulate eligibility requirements, conditions, and guarantees relating to facial recognition, in compliance with the principle of proportionality.”
The watchdog expressed concerns about the security of these systems
The watchdog expressed concerns about the security of these systems and emphasized that under EU and Italian law, the use of video devices by public bodies for the processing of personal data is typically only permitted on the basis of public interest. It also implied that municipalities would need to sign “urban security pacts” with central government representatives in order to use these systems.
The two communities being watched for the proposed application of these technologies are the southern Italian city of Lecce and the Tuscan city of Arezzo. According to the authorities, the city of Lecce will start utilizing facial recognition technology, while Tuscan police officers would soon be given infrared super glasses that could read license plates.
The Lecce municipality has been required by the watchdog to give details about the systems deployed, including information about their purposes and legality. The watchdog also wants a list of the databases that its surveillance equipment has visited.
Supporters claim that it will aid in reducing the nation’s gambling problem
Recently, face recognition technology discovered another application in Australia as a provider of solutions to address the problem of gambling addiction. Facial recognition software is employed at the Warilla Hotel in eastern Australia to detect problem gamblers who have requested to be excluded from online bookmakers. Supporters claim that it will aid in reducing the nation’s gambling problem, which affects 1% of the populace and causes billions of dollars in annual losses, according to Al Jazeera.