UK Clearview AI Fines IDR 117 Billion And Asks All Data Belonging To Its Citizens To Be Deleted

Clearview claims its facial recognition database contains about 20 billion images. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA - Facial recognition technology company Clearview AI has been fined more than 7.5 million euros and ordered to delete all data collected from the public in the UK following an investigation into its practice.

Both the fine and the request were filed by Britain's privacy watchdog, the Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) for failing to follow the country's data protection laws.

According to reports, this is the fourth time Clearview has been ordered to delete national data, following similar orders and fines issued in Australia, France, and Italy.

Clearview claims its facial recognition database contains about 20 billion images taken from public sources such as Facebook and Instagram.

In the UK, the Clearview AI service has previously been used by law enforcement including the Metropolitan Police, Ministry of Defence, and the National Crime Agency.

Even so, the ICO said the company is no longer offering its services to UK organizations, but the data it has retrieved from UK residents can still be used by customers in other countries.

"The company not only allowed the identification of these individuals, but effectively monitored their behavior and offered them as a commercial service. That is unacceptable," said ICO Commissioner John Edwards as quoted by The Verge, Tuesday, May 24.

"That's why we are acting to protect people in the UK by fining companies and issuing law enforcement notices."

Several principles of UK data protection law that Clearview AI violated, including failing to use data in a fair and transparent manner, failing to have a valid reason to collect people's information, and failing to have a process in place to stop data retention indefinitely.

“While we respect the ICO's desire to reduce their monetary penalties on Clearview AI, we stand by our stance that the decision to apply the fine was legally wrong. Clearview AI is not subject to ICO jurisdiction, and Clearview AI does not do business in the UK at this time," said Lee Wolosky of Jenner and Block, Clearview's legal representative.

The ICO stated that if the company failed to comply, they could issue further fines, and Clearview had 28 days to appeal the decision, and then six months to comply.