Olympics 2024: Senators discuss facial recognition bill

The introduction of facial recognition systems is not among the nineteen measures of the Olympic and Paralympic Games bill that the Senate will consider in public on Tuesday, January 24. The government ruled out this option, which some considered, and initially opted for an experiment” artificial intellect “In particular, CCTV cameras and drones equipped with automatic identification algorithms “predetermined events”.

The topic of facial recognition still came up during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s discussion of the text on Wednesday, January 18, as some senators refused to open debate and move forward on the issue. In this case, Marc-Philippe Doubresse set the terms, by way of amendment.

It is no surprise that the Les Républicains senator is one of the co-editors, with Arnaud de Bellenet (Centrist Union) and Jérôme Durin (Socialist Party), of an information report on biometric recognition, published in May 2022.

However, when presenting his amendment, Mr. Dobres immediately warned that he would withdraw it. What he did. Although he intends to reformulate his proposal “in the bill”.

“During the examination of LOPMI [loi d’orientation et de programmation du ministère de l’intérieur], I have told the Home Secretary that the use of video surveillance, artificial intelligence and biometric recognition should be considered as part of the bill, not outside of the amendments.He justified.

“Working on the development of a balanced system”

“We cannot include such heavy provisions in the law by making changes in the text, which refers to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.S »Proved by Jérôme Durin when asked by Arnaud de Bellene “Preliminary Debates Supporting a Pedagogical, Global and Singular Approach” before the establishment “Relevant legal framework”. “You have to think and don’t sweep the subject under the carpet”Supported Agnès Canbayer (Les Républicains) rapporteurs on the bill.

On October 25, 2022, during the hearing of the senators, Gérard Darmain officially stated that he was not in favor of the implementation of facial recognition, emphasizing that it is“An instrument which is a public choice and which involves a share of risk.” He added: ” I believe that we have no guarantee that this tool will not be used against citizens under a different regime..

“It is technically difficult to implement such a device, so it would be better to provide specific text.” It will be necessary, Mr Dobres argued on Wednesday “Create an experimental law to precisely define the areas of application and create not only administrative control, but also parliamentary control and in which the CNIL will also participate..

“It is necessary for me to have a specific text” Approved François-Noël Buffet, President of the Legal Commission (Les Républicains), invited “Work to develop a balanced system without falling into unacceptable redundancy, which would be wanting to identify all and no man’s land, i.e. doing nothing regardless of real and identified risk.”