Dutch privacy watchdog fines Clearview AI US$33.5 million
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has imposed a 30.5 million euro (US$33.5 million) fine on Clearview AI, a US company, for illegally collecting billions of facial images for its facial recognition services.
Clearview AI, which operates without a European presence, has built a vast database of over 30 billion facial images, including those of Dutch citizens, by scraping them from the Internet without individuals' knowledge or consent, the agency said in a press release. These images are then transformed into unique biometric codes, enabling Clearview AI's clients to identify individuals in surveillance footage.
Clearview AI has not contested this decision, which means the company cannot appeal the fine, the Dutch agency said.
It warned that using Clearview AI's services is illegal in the Netherlands, and Dutch organizations that utilize these services could face substantial fines.