European Digital Rights (EDRi) calls for ban on biometric surveillance

Brussels-based European Digital Rights (EDRi) has released a position paper calling for a ban on biometric surveillance in the EU. The paper raises concern about the increasing use of biometric technologies such as facial recognition, fingerprinting in public functions, such as schools and law enforcement. The paper notes that the technologies affect many rights, including privacy, data protection, equality, freedom of expression and information, freedom of assembly and association, and due process. It therefore calls for the immediate ban on their use, public disclosure of all such technologies in use, halting of funding, and cessation of all legislation on biometric technologies. EDRi is a network of 44 civil society groups.