German police authorities have long been pushing for the right to use facial recognition programs to search for suspects. Interior Minister Faeser now wants to fulfill this wish.
In the future, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Police will be allowed to use facial recognition software when searching for suspected terrorists and serious criminals. This is envisaged by a draft law by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD), as a spokesperson for her ministry confirmed. For example, investigators will be able to compare Internet videos of IS members with images on social networks in order to obtain clues about the whereabouts of the Islamists. The news magazine “Der Spiegel” was the first to report on the plan.
The investigating authorities have long been pushing for the use of such instruments to be permitted. This demand was given new impetus after the arrest of the former RAF terrorist Daniela Klette. Months earlier, a Canadian journalist had used a facial recognition program on the Internet to find older alleged photos of Klette and her dance groups in Berlin.
No live facial recognition through surveillance cameras
The planned amendment to the law, which still has to be approved by the Cabinet and the Bundestag, is intended to enable investigators to carry out a biometric comparison with image data from the Internet and to carry out automated data analysis using artificial intelligence.
However, according to the ministry, real-time facial recognition in public spaces – for example through video surveillance at train stations – is expressly not planned.
Reporting at “Spiegel” (behind paywall)
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
