São Paulo to have facial recognition cameras
The Court of Justice has granted permission for São Paulo to proceed with a public notice inviting bids for the implementation of the Smart Sampa system, which encompasses the deployment of 20,000 cameras equipped with advanced facial recognition technology. Despite a temporary suspension ordered by the court, the auction has now been rescheduled and is set to take place on the upcoming Friday, May 26.
Judge Luis Manuel Fonseca Pires of the 3rd Public Treasury Court initially suspended the procurement of the equipment, raising concerns about the potential violation of the General Law of Data Protection associated with the facial recognition system. Furthermore, the judge emphasized that the manner in which the technology is utilized could pose a significant threat to fundamental rights, specifically highlighting the potential for perpetuating structural racism.
In the decision that overturned the injunction, Paola Lorena, the rapporteur of the appeal filed by the city of São Paulo, stated that "there is no substantiated evidence indicating that the implementation of video surveillance would exacerbate social and racial discrimination."
The system will store data obtained through the facial recognition system, along with corresponding location information. This integration will enable the system to provide insights regarding an individual's presence at specific locations within the city, along with the respective time.
The facial recognition technology will be able to identify individuals accurately, even in scenarios where they have distinctive features such as beards, glasses, or varying hairstyles. This functionality will be crucial in locating fugitives from justice. Additionally, the system will aid in tracking individuals who are deemed suspicious.
International protocols
According to the city government, the Smart Sampa system will incorporate an advanced protocol designed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of alerts and analytics. Specifically, the system will employ a stringent threshold of at least 90 percent parity, meaning that only detections with a high level of confidence will be considered valid and reliable.
Additionally, as stated by the city administration, the alerts generated by the Smart Sampa system will be carefully examined by trained agents. These agents will follow established international procedures and protocols, drawing from recommendations provided by the European Union in relation to similar projects. The objective is to thoroughly evaluate the circumstances of each case before any action is taken.
Municipal authorities emphasize that the information within the system will be strictly utilized for the exclusive purposes of public safety, maintaining a secretive and confidential approach, in full compliance with the General Law of Data Protection.
