S.T.O.P. Condemns Clearview AI Plan For 100 Billion Photos

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns Clearview AI Plan For 100 Billion Photos (NEW YORK, NY, 2/16/2021) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, condemns Clearview AI’s plan to expand its database to 100 billion facial photos within one year. The Washington Post reported Clearview AI has pitched investors on a proposal to make “almost everyone in the world” identifiable. The firm plans to expand use of their facial recognition software beyond law enforcement to monitor gig economy workers and for deployment in financial services, commercial real estate, and other industries. Clearview AI has drawn international scrutiny for its facial recognition software, which scrapes billions of photos from the internet without user permission. SEE: The Washington Post - Facial recognition firm Clearview AI tells investors it’s seeking massive expansion beyond law enforcement https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/16/clearview-expansion-facial-recognition/ “The global ambitions of Clearview AI are dystopian, disturbing, and must be stopped,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Communications Manager Will Owen. “Clearview AI is pitching a world without any public anonymity or privacy for the firm’s own profit, all while stealing our photos from the Internet. Worker surveillance has vastly expanded throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot let Clearview AI cash in on this invasive, abusive practice, and we must stop all use of its software by law and immigration enforcement.” Clearview AI also plans to invest in development of other invasive surveillance technologies, including gait recognition software, license plate trackers, gun and drug detection systems, and contactless fingerprint scanning. In October, S.T.O.P. condemned Clearview AI’s launch of a “mask removal” feature in its facial recognition software. The civil rights group recently condemned New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ proposed use of gun detection software as part of his Blueprint to End Gun Violence. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Clearview AI ‘Mask Removal’ Facial Recognition Software https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2021/10/4/stop-condemns-clearview-ai-mask-removal-facial-recognition-software Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams’ Proposed Gun Detection Software https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2022/1/24/stop-condemns-adams-proposed-gun-detection-software Owen continued, “As if the biases and inaccuracy of facial recognition weren’t enough, Clearview AI is also scheming its expansion through more pseudoscientific tech and biometric surveillance. These tools are Big Tech sales pitches that will keep no one safer, instead facilitating police violence against BIPOC communities and eroding civil rights.” The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn.     Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.