In a blog post published on January 14, 2022, the CNIL formalized the launch of a public consultation about so-called “intelligent” or “augmented” video devices. The main objective of this consultation is “highlight the ethical and societal issues of this technology and the graduated risks for the rights and freedoms of individuals”.
The so-called “intelligent” and “augmented” video devices screened by the CNIL
The National Commission for Computing and Liberties (CNIL) has therefore published a draft position concerning the deployment of so-called “intelligent” or “augmented” video devices. The French have until March 11, 2022 inclusive to respond to this consultation. The Commission specifies that any public or private actor concerned may take part in the consultation. Important point: this draft position does not apply to biometric recognition devices, including facial recognition, as well as the use of “augmented” video devices in private places.
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The CNIL recalls that so-called “intelligent” or “augmented” video devices consist of automated image processing software coupled with cameras. These devices are debated because they allow in particular “to extract various information from the resulting video streams”. Although the Commission has been vigilant about the deployment and use of these video protection tools for several years, this time it wants to mark the hit.
Objective: to highlight the ethical and societal issues raised by these technologies
These devices have been widely used in management of the COVID-19 health crisis and the CNIL wants to alert to the fact that it is not simply a “technical extension of existing cameras”. No, the regulatory authority recalls that so-called “intelligent” or “augmented” video devices change their nature “by their capacity for detection and automated analysis”. This is the reason why the CNIL considers that they pose, new ethical and legal questions.
With this public consultation, the CNIL therefore seeks to highlight the ethical and societal issues raised by this technology. These video tools can lead to a mass processing of personal data, sometimes even sensitive data, and “cause a risk of widespread surveillance”, according to the Commission. These are the different reasons that prompted the CNIL to submit its interpretation of so-called “intelligent” and “augmented” video to consultation.
Following this public consultation which should last eight weeks, the CNIL specifies that it will make known “its position on its technologies and the way in which the GDPR and the Data Protection Act apply to them”.