France Criticized Over Security Plan At Paris Olympics
Rights groups are claiming the French government is trying to extend police surveillance powers ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, calling for more public debate on a special bill — approved by the Senate on Tuesday — that would allow AI-assisted video surveillance.
Facts
- Rights groups are claiming the French government is trying to extend police surveillance powers ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, calling for more public debate on a special bill — approved by the Senate on Tuesday — that would allow AI-assisted video surveillance. The lower house of parliament is set to consider it next month.
- The initial text was already amended after the National Commission for Information Technology and Freedoms (CNIL) and the Council of State raised concerns over the possibility of mass processing of personal data.
- Security plans involve large-scale, real-time cameras supported by an algorithm to spot suspicious behavior, including unaccompanied luggage and potential stampedes, as France seeks to prevent the chaos seen at last year's UEFA Champions League final.
- The "experimental and temporary" framework, which explicitly forbids the use of facial recognition, would be applicable in places hosting competitions and in public transport through June 2025.
- Security of Paris 2024, to be held from July 26 to Aug. 11 and Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 for the Paralympics, has been considered a major challenge, with France's top audit body recommending internal security forces such as the police and army to be incorporated.
- Rather than an opening ceremony in stadiums, the organizing committee has planned an outdoor ceremony with Olympians sailing down the river Seine before a crowd of 600K people, of which over 500K are expected to watch it for free from the street level.
Sources: Guardian, RFI, Politico, Le Monde, Reuters, and VOA.
Narratives
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Techzine. The Olympic Games are being used as an excuse for the French government to approve the mass surveillance measures it has long sought to impose. The legislation, which is allegedly intended to be temporary, even hints at making this long-term by mentioning gatherings other than sports events and setting the conclusion of the so-called experiment ten months after the Olympics end.
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by DNyuz. his bill — overwhelmingly passed in the Senate — will help France detect potentially dangerous disturbances and ensure mitigated crowd control risks to those attending public events. Despite existing concerns about data privacy, neither biometric data nor facial recognition will be used and there will be no link with any other personal data system.
