UK authorities fined infamous startup Clearview AI for 7.55 million pounds ($9.5 million) for illegally extracting images of residents’ faces from social networks and the public Internet.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ordered the company to stop collecting data from citizens of the United Kingdom and delete all information about them.
“The company not only makes it possible to identify these people, but also effectively monitors their behavior, offering it as a commercial service. This is unacceptable,” said UK Information Commissioner John Edwards.
In 2020, the ICO launched an investigation into Clearview AI with Australia. At the end of 2021, the agency imposed a preliminary fine of 17 million pounds ($21.4 million) on the company.
During the final decision, the ICO noted that the company illegally collected more than 20 billion face images to replenish the database.
“While Clearview AI no longer offers its services to UK entities, the firm has clients in other countries and therefore continues to use personal data from UK residents,” it said.
The startup appreciated the reduction in the amount of the fine, but declared the illegality of this decision.
“Clearview AI does not fall under the jurisdiction of the ICO and the company does not currently do business in the UK,” Lee Woloski, a partner at law firm Jenner and Block, said in a statement.
The startup’s CEO, Hoan Ton-Tet, expressed “deep disappointment” with the agency’s decision.
“My company and I have acted in the best interests of the UK and its people by helping law enforcement solve horrific crimes against children, the elderly and other victims of bad faith,” he said.
Recall that in May, Clearview AI agreed to stop sales of facial recognition tool to private companies in the United States.
In December 2021, the French regulator ordered the company to delete all data from citizens and stop collecting it further.
In November, Clearview AI was banned in Australia.
Subscribe to Cryplogger news in Telegram: Cryplogger AI – all the news from the world of AI!
Found a mistake in the text? Select it and press CTRL+ENTER
UK authorities fined infamous startup Clearview AI for 7.55 million pounds ($9.5 million) for illegally extracting images of residents’ faces from social networks and the public Internet.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ordered the company to stop collecting data from citizens of the United Kingdom and delete all information about them.
“The company not only makes it possible to identify these people, but also effectively monitors their behavior, offering it as a commercial service. This is unacceptable,” said UK Information Commissioner John Edwards.
In 2020, the ICO launched an investigation into Clearview AI with Australia. At the end of 2021, the agency imposed a preliminary fine of 17 million pounds ($21.4 million) on the company.
During the final decision, the ICO noted that the company illegally collected more than 20 billion face images to replenish the database.
“While Clearview AI no longer offers its services to UK entities, the firm has clients in other countries and therefore continues to use personal data from UK residents,” it said.
The startup appreciated the reduction in the amount of the fine, but declared the illegality of this decision.
“Clearview AI does not fall under the jurisdiction of the ICO and the company does not currently do business in the UK,” Lee Woloski, a partner at law firm Jenner and Block, said in a statement.
The startup’s CEO, Hoan Ton-Tet, expressed “deep disappointment” with the agency’s decision.
“My company and I have acted in the best interests of the UK and its people by helping law enforcement solve horrific crimes against children, the elderly and other victims of bad faith,” he said.
Recall that in May, Clearview AI agreed to stop sales of facial recognition tool to private companies in the United States.
In December 2021, the French regulator ordered the company to delete all data from citizens and stop collecting it further.
In November, Clearview AI was banned in Australia.
Subscribe to Cryplogger news in Telegram: Cryplogger AI – all the news from the world of AI!
Found a mistake in the text? Select it and press CTRL+ENTER
