Dutch authorities have imposed a €30.5 million fine on the US facial recognition company Clearview AI for creating an illegal database, the watchdog announced recently.
Additionally, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) has issued a penalty of up to €5 million for non-compliance.
The DPA stated that “Clearview should never have created the database containing photos, unique biometric codes, and other associated information.”
“Clearview’s actions are illegal, making the use of its services unlawful,” he added. “Dutch organizations that use Clearview should anticipate substantial fines from the Dutch DPA.”
Clearview does not have a presence in Europe but has faced penalties from other European regulators, including France’s CNIL, which is responsible for enforcing sanctions.
In October 2022, France levied a €20 million fine against Clearview and mandated that the company cease collecting and processing data on individuals in France without legal justification, as well as delete the data of these individuals.
In 2023, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) reported that Clearview had failed to provide proof of compliance within the requested two-month timeframe.
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