Former UK Camera Commissioner Joins Facial Recognition Firm
The UK's former Camera Commissioner, best known for criticizing Dahua and Hikvision, has joined a company he used to regulate.
This paves the way for more private facial recognition across the UK while drawing significant scrutiny of the surveillance industry.
Ex-Commissioner Fraser Sampson is best known in the UK for his strong criticism of Hikvision and Dahua over their Xinjiang projects:
- Hikvision Demands "Commercial Confidentiality" But Accuses UK Official of "Misleading Public"
- UK Camera Commissioner: Buying Dahua and Hikvision Puts 'Money Over Values'
- "Hikvision and Dahua Simply Cannot Be Trusted", Declares UK Camera Commissioner
In this post, IPVM examines this news and its impact.
Executive *******
****** ************ ****** ************ ****** **********************, ************** *********** ** ***** ***********, *** day ***** ************* ********.
******* ***** *********'* ***** ** ********* in * **********"****** ******** ** *** ****** *****" by ******* ****** ***** *** ******* Watch.
**** ***** *** ****** **-************ ** join * ****** *********** ****, **** Sampson's *********** **** *********************.
******* ****** ** ******** ** ******** arose ****** *** ****** *** ******* Facewatch - ***** ********* *********** **** ****- *** '******** *********.'
UK ****** ************ **********
****** *** **, *** ** *** a ********-******************* ************* *** ************ ****** ***************** "*** ** *********** ** ********** powers" *** ******* ********** ******* ************ ****** ******* ******** ********** ********.
**** *** **** *** ************ **** be*********** **** ** ******** ***********, ***** will ****** **** **** * **************** ******.***** ****, *******'* '**** ****' ************* ***************** ************ ********.
Joins ********* ***** **** ***
** ******** *, *** *** ***** Sampson's**** ***** *** *** (******* **), ************************* ******* *** ***** ** ********* of*********, *** ** ******************** *********** ** ***** ***********:
********* *** *** ***** *********; ************** ** ******* ** *******'* ******** responsibilities ** ************.
Facewatch **********
***************** ****** ** "*** **’* ******* facial *********** ****** ******** *******"******** ******** ** **** *** ******:
***************** ***** ***** ********* **** **** when *** **'* **** ********************* ******** *****.
"Paves *** ***" *** ******* ****** ***********: ** *****
******* ******* ********* ********** ************ ** ********* *** ********, ******* this ** "****** *** ***" *** high ******* (******** *****) ** ****** facial ***********:
*** ********-******** ******** ** ****** ** monitoring ****** *********** ********** *** ****** the ******* **** ** *************** ********,paving *** *** *** *** **** ****-*** of biometric surveillance cameras in high streets across the country. [emphasis added]
*** **** ** ****** ********* ****** recognition *** **** ********, **** *.*.,******* ************** **** *********** *** ******'* **** regulator ****** ***** *** **** ** catch **************** ** *******.****** ** ***************** *** ********* (********) ***** ******** ****** ***********.
"Deeply ******** ** *** ****** *****": ******* *********
******* ****** ***** *** ******* ************** **** "****** ******** ** *** public *****" ****** **** *** **** short ****** **** **** *** ***** months **** "***********":
*** ************ ** ****. *******’* *** role *** ******* ***** *** ********* of *** ****** ** ********** *** Surveillance ****** ************ ** ****** ******** to ****** ***** ** *** ************ of *** ************. * **** **** the ********* ** *** ************ ** Prof. *******’* *** **** **** ********* to *** ********* ** *** ******** duties ***** ****he **** **** **** *********** *** ***** ** *** *** ********** ****** *** ****** as Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner. Such a negotiation would naturally **** *********** Prof. Sampson’s independence during his final months in post. [emphasis added]
*** ******* ***** **** ****** ************* *** ** ************* ** *** UK's***** ******(*** ******** ********* ** ******** ************). Note, ***** ** *********-**** *** *** no *********** ******, ********************* ***** *********.
Ex-Commissioner ********: "** **** ******** *****"
******* **** **** ** "*** ** place ******** ********" ** ***** ********* of ******** ***** ** ***** **** Facewatch *** **** "* ** ********* that ** **** ******** *****":
** *-**** *********** ***** *** ** end ** ******** [****], * ******** a ****** ** ******** ********* **** organisations ***** ** ***** ** ***** of *** **** *** **** * request **** *** ********** ** ****** my *********** ** ***** *** ** amended *********. * ****** ** * short ************* *** *** ******* ********* went ****** *** ****** * *** willing ** ***** *** ** *** beginning ** ****** * ***** ******** to *** **** ********* ****** ***** months’ ******, ********* ***** * ******** a ****** ******** ** **** *** board ** ********* ** * ***-********* director. * ******** *** **** ****** andput ** ***** ******** ******** to ensure the avoidance of any potential conflict of interest, however limited that potential might be. I am satisfied that no **** ******** *****.
******* ***** **** ******* ********* *** "an **** ********" *** ****** "******* challenge" ** ****** "****** *** ******* operations":
* **** ** *** **** ******* Facewatchwas ** **** ******** ** ****. They have invited challenge, reviewed practice and policy and responded promptly to ensure their ********** *** ****** *** *******. I am looking forward to working with the board at an important time for the development of facial recognition technology in the retail sector.
********** ********* *** **'* **** ********* **** year, ********* ****** ** ********************** ********, **** ** "********** * Data ********** *******" *** "******** ** repeat *********".
Longtime ********* ******, *** ********* ********* ****
******* ** ****-***** ** *** ** for *** ****** ********* ** ********* and ***** **** ***** ******** ********:
- ** ****** ************ ***** *** *** on ********** ********* *********
- ** ****** ************: ****** ***** *** Hikvision **** '***** **** ******'
- "********* *** ***** ****** ****** ** Trusted", ******** ** ****** ************
**** ********, ******* ********** *** ******** questions ** *********,***** ********** ** '********** *** ******' *** demanded '********** ***************.'
** ********, *********'* ******* *************** *********, ******** ***************** **************** "*** *** ********" ** ***** 2023.
**** *** ********* ************* **** ********* about ******* ** *** ******** *** existing ********* ****** ******* ** **** banned **** **** "*** ********."
Facewatch ***** ***********
**********************'* *********** ** * "************* ** our ********** ** *********** *** ******* ethical *** ***** *********."
****, * **** ****/**** ** ****** investigation***** ************** **** *** ****-**-*** ****** ***** at *** ******* ************ ** ******* (which ********* ********** *********.)
Predecessor **** ****** ****** *********** ****
**** *********, *******'* *********** ** ****** Commissioner, **** ******,************* ****** *********** **** ******** ** 2021.
******** ** ***** *** ************* ** ******, **** ** ******** ** ********* a ****** ** * ***** ******* a **** *** **** *** **** titled.
Impact ********
*******, **** **** **** ********** *** deployment ** ****** *********** ** ******* companies ** *** **.
**** ** * ******** *** ********* like *********, *** ***** **** **** a ******** ***, **********, ******** ***********.
**** ******* ******** *** ** ** a ***** ******** ** *** ************ industry, *** ************ ****** ***********, ** Europe.