Clearview AI told it broke Australia’s privacy law, ordered to delete data

Clearview AI told it broke Australia’s privacy law, ordered to delete data

After Canada, now Australia has found that controversial facial recognition company, Clearview AI, broke national privacy laws when it covertly collected citizens’ facial biometrics and incorporated them into its AI-powered identity matching service — which it sells to law enforcement agencies and others.

In a statement today, Australia’s information commissioner and privacy commissioner, Angelene Falk, said Clearview AI’s facial recognition tool breached the country’s Privacy Act 1988 by:

  • collecting Australians’ sensitive information without consent
  • collecting personal information by unfair means
  • not taking reasonable steps to notify individuals of the collection of personal information
  • not taking reasonable steps to ensure that personal information it disclosed was accurate, having regard to the purpose of disclosure
  • not taking reasonable steps to implement practices, procedures and systems to ensure compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles
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