Italy’s new facial recognition policy sparks EU law debate

Italy's proposed policy to store facial biometric data for seven days from individuals captured on video in sensitive areas is facing scrutiny over its compliance with European Union laws, as reported by Biometric Update.

The Italian Senate's EU Policies Committee approved a decree allowing the storage of facial biometric data from cameras in sensitive public areas for seven days. This move has drawn criticism from the data protection authority, Autorità Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali (GPDP), which deems the policy inconsistent with the EU's AI Act restrictions on live facial recognition. The GPDP argues that continuous biometric data collection and retrospective processing for investigations could be interpreted as live facial recognition, which is generally prohibited under the AI Act, except for specific exceptions like searches for missing persons, imminent terrorist threats, or identification of serious offenses.

A representative for Premier Giorgia Meloni's office stated that Italy remains compliant with European regulations, including the AI Act. The debate intensified following recent public order incidents, including riots and violent protests. The European Commission has emphasized that facial recognition in publicly accessible spaces is prohibited but noted that a definitive assessment of the Italian policy requires a detailed review.

Source: Biometric Update