# Facial recognition coming to Europe, but terms and conditions applied | Tech News (HT Tech) > Facial recognition has emerged as a hot-button issue as the EU prepares to outline its plans to regulate artificial intelligence next month. # Facial recognition coming to Europe, but terms and conditions applied ## Facial recognition has emerged as a hot-button issue as the EU prepares to outline its plans to regulate artificial intelligence next month. Aug 20 2022, 19:09 IST ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook.png) ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook-hover.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Share.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Shareclicked.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp-hover.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter-hover.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook-hover.png) ![Bookmark](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmark.png) ![Bookmarked](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmarked.png) ![A screen demonstrates facial-recognition technology at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. (representative image)](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/rf/image_size_960x540/HT/p2/2020/02/02/Pictures/bloomberg-pictures-of-the-year-tech-unchecked_9128de74-45b2-11ea-a1a6-739c4e9997c5.jpg) A screen demonstrates facial-recognition technology at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. (representative image) (Bloomberg) ![Author Photo](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HTTech-new-circle-logo.png) ### By NATALIA DROZDIAK The European Union has accepted there is no escape from facial recognition, but is seeking to ensure any roll-out that includes U.S. and Chinese players will abide by European values like strict personal privacy. Facial recognition has emerged as a hot-button issue as the EU prepares to outline its plans to regulate artificial intelligence next month. Privacy advocates are urging legislation to prevent abuses, while law enforcement is warning against banning a tool that can make societies safer. The technology is used in a number of contexts -- from unlocking smartphones to border control in airports to finding missing children. It's a potentially powerful tool that could let law enforcement quickly sweep large crowds for criminals. But, aside from costs to privacy, it's often inaccurate, especially for women and people with darker skin. Also read click here. "This is a privacy risk on a totally new scale," said Stefan Heumann, co-director of think tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung in Berlin. "Anonymity in public spaces will cease to exist." So far, the U.S. and China dominate the industry. Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co. control one-third of the global market for video surveillance, according to a report by Deutsche Bank AG, even keeping watch over London's subway system. ALSO READ: Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai backs a temporary ban on face recognition, Microsoft disagrees In a January draft of the upcoming paper on AI, the EU's executive body said any new regulations would target high-risk applications, such as predictive policing and biometric identification systems. All actors - based both within the EU and abroad - would have to abide by the rules if they operate in Europe. Companies and organizations could be required to hand over documentation of a system's data sets, programming and accuracy for inspection before deployment. If they can't guarantee the facial recognition technology was developed in accordance with European values, such as respect for privacy, companies would have to retrain their systems in Europe with European data sets, the document said. The EU is due to unveil a final version of the paper in mid-February. An earlier text suggested banning facial recognition in public spaces for several years, but the provision wasn't among the three policy options officials recommended that the commission pursue. EU officials say the option is unlikely to make it into the final version. ALSO READ: Facebook built a facial recognition app for employees to identify co-workers "The starting point is that you will have to be cautious in the way that you use it," Margrethe Vestager, the EU's digital czar, said of the EU approach on facial recognition at a hearing with European lawmakers on Monday. "Otherwise, fundamental values will be very difficult to uphold." Meanwhile, EU data protection authorities on Thursday sounded the alarm over its unfettered use, urging companies and agencies to consider "less intrusive" tools. The issue around facial recognition is at the heart of a long-running debate -- privacy advocates butting heads with law enforcement over authorities' access to personal information. That's been made more complicated by high rates of inaccuracies, which have been introduced by the systems and the quality of matching photos. Women and people with darker skin tones are particularly susceptible to false positives. A 2018 study from MIT found that commercially available facial-analysis programs were inaccurate 35% of the time for darker skinned women. France's government has come under fire over its plans to test and implement facial recognition surveillance in train stations and other public spaces. The U.K., which exited the EU on Friday, is deploying the cameras in London, a step that human-rights groups have called "dangerous and sinister." "In society and in police work we are permanently confronted with errors, but suddenly with facial recognition there's zero tolerance," Wim Liekens, chief information officer of the Belgian police, said at the Computers, Privacy and Data Protection conference in Brussels last week. ALSO READ: Facial recognition tech should be regulated, not banned: IBM Liekens called for guidance around the use of facial recognition, but urged against banning it entirely adding, "it is in fact also criminal" to withhold new, innovative tools from police. The tech industry, whose executives used the World Economic Forum in Davos to warn against the dangers of unchecked AI, has come out in support of some controls. Microsoft Corp.'s Vice President of EU Government Affairs, John Frank, said technology providers should be required to make their systems auditable so that third parties can test them for accuracy. "I don't think you can put this genie back in the bottle," Frank said at the Brussels conference. "You can regulate it, though." Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel. 02 Feb, 17:27 IST face recognition facial recognition ![HT Tech Awards](https://tech.hindustantimes.com/ht-tech-power-list-awards-2026/httech-awards-banner-new.webp) 71,589,384,178,457 NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS ![View all](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/view-all-icon.png) ## Tips & Tricks ![Ghibli-style art](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2025/03/28/414x233/ChatGPT_Ghibli_style_images_1743161814450_1743161814596.jpg) ### How to turn your photos into Ghibli-style art with ChatGPT for free: Step-by-step guide ![How to create an invitation using iPhone’s new Apple Invites app- Step-by-step guide](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2025/02/14/414x233/invites_1738728829564_1739543695649.png) ### How to create an invitation using iPhone’s new Apple Invites app- Step-by-step guide ![Apple TV app arrives on Android phones and tablets: What you get and how to install it](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2025/02/13/414x233/unnamed_1739426557335_1739426567634.jpg) ### Apple TV app arrives on Android phones and tablets: What you get and how to install it ![Vodafone Idea OTT plans](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Vodafone Idea users can now stream 17 OTT apps with one subscription: Here's how ![Android data transfer methods](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### How to transfer data from one Android to another using Google backup, USB-C cable, and more ## Editor’s Pick ![iPhone 16e launched with A18 chip, Apple AI—bringing flagship power on a budget: Check specs, price](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iPhone 16e launched in India: All details about the new budget mobile from Apple ![DeepSeek was founded in China with only a fraction of the budget of the top AI companies in the US.](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### DeepSeek AI: How it works, who’s behind it, how it’s different from ChatGPT, and its big US market impact explained ![iPhone 17 Air likely to get this feature that iPhone 17 Pro models may miss out on](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iPhone 17 Air likely to get this feature that iPhone 17 Pro models may miss out on ![Google Whisk AI explained: How remixing works, availability, and how it differs from Gemini](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Google Whisk AI explained: How remixing works, availability, and how it differs from Gemini ![iOS 18.4 beta arriving soon: Know why it is the biggest iPhone update](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### iOS 18.4 beta arriving soon: Know why it is the biggest iPhone update ## Trending Stories ![Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order ![Infinix Note 50s 5G+](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Infinix Note 50s 5G+ set to launch in India with 64MP camera and MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC ![Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more ![Apple Intelligence AI training](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Apple plans to train AI using your on-device data without accessing personal content or emails: Report ![CMF Buds 2](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### CMF Buds 2 key features and price revealed ahead of April 28 launch: Details inside keep up with tech ![Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-facebook.png) ![Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-twitter.png) ![WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-whatsApp.png) ![Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/tech-facebook.png) ## Gaming ![Check out these five gaming monitors under ₹20,000,](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Top 5 gaming monitors under ₹20000 you should consider ![gaming consoles](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Grab gaming consoles at discounted rates during Amazon Great Indian Festival: Up to 72% off ![Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Pokémon GO Wild Area 2025 to bring Grimmsnarl family, Shiny Hatenna, and global challenges ![Shade Silver](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Shade Silver free on Steam for a limited time: Here’s how to get it ![Call of duty](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/ht-tech-bg-img-90-66.png) ### Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 skips Switch 2 at launch, release date and price leak ![View all](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/view-all-icon.png) ## Trending News ### Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order ![Airtel 5G SIM card will now be delivered in 10 minutes with Blinkit- How to order](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Infinix Note 50s 5G+ set to launch in India with 64MP camera and MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC ![Infinix Note 50s 5G+](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more ![Xiaomi X Pro QLED Series sale starts in India: Check price, availability, and more](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### Apple plans to train AI using your on-device data without accessing personal content or emails: Report ![Apple Intelligence AI training](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ### CMF Buds 2 key features and price revealed ahead of April 28 launch: Details inside ![CMF Buds 2](https://images.livemint.com/static/static/1x1_img.gif) ## Trending Gadgets Mobiles Laptops Tablets ![HT Tech](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HT_tech-new.gif) - https://tech.hindustantimes.com/tech/news/facial-recognition-coming-to-europe-but-terms-and-conditions-applied-story-pWEJ8KEWfQtJBb9FQamuHK.html