The end of anonymous protest — How facial recognition puts democracy at risk
Imagine attending a peaceful demonstration, only to have hidden cameras scan your face, match your identity, and log your details into a police database within seconds. This scenario is at the heart of a debate that reignited in Italy last week, highlighting a high-stakes clash between public safety and personal privacy.
Although Italian lawmakers passed the bill on Tuesday with added safeguards, the decision reflects Europe’s expanding appetite for biometric monitoring. A practice Europeans once watched unfold with dread in authoritarian states is now quietly taking root at home.
From London and Paris to Amsterdam and Berlin, police forces across democratic Europe are increasingly piloting AI-powered face-scanning in public spaces and at political demonstrations.
While European leaders frame the technology as a necessary tool to combat crime, privacy advocates warn that facial recognition creates a chilling effect on the right to peaceful assembly and free expression. And the long-term risk...
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