- Police to be allowed to use facial recognition software
In the hunt for suspected terrorists and serious criminals, the Federal Criminal Police Office and Federal Police are to be allowed to also use facial recognition software in the future. This is provided for in a bill by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), as confirmed by a spokesperson for her ministry. For example, investigators would be able to compare internet videos of IS members with images on social networks to obtain clues about the location of the Islamists. The news magazine "Der Spiegel" first reported on the plan.
Law enforcement agencies have been pushing for some time to allow the use of such tools. This demand has gained new momentum following the arrest of former RAF terrorist Daniela Klette. A Canadian journalist had already found older suspected photos of Klette and her dance group in Berlin months earlier using a facial recognition program on the internet.
The planned legislative change, which still needs to be approved by the cabinet and Bundestag, will enable investigators to perform a biometric comparison with image data from the internet and automated data analysis using artificial intelligence.
However, real-time facial recognition in public spaces, for example through video surveillance at train stations, is explicitly not planned, according to the ministry.
Reporting in "Der Spiegel" (behind paywall)
The European Union might express its stance on this issue, considering its stance on privacy and data protection regulations. The European Union's data protection rules could potentially influence how the use of facial recognition software is implemented in Germany.
