Austrian NGO files criminal GDPR complaint against Clearview AI over EU biometric data

Clearview AI, a facial recognition company, faces a criminal complaint filed by the Austrian privacy group noyb for illegally collecting and processing images of European Union residents, violating the GDPR. Despite fines totaling nearly €100 million from multiple European countries, Clearview has largely ignored enforcement actions, prompting noyb to seek criminal sanctions under Austrian law that could hold company executives personally liable, including potential jail time. The company has amassed a global biometric database of over 60 billion photos by scraping public internet sources, enabling rapid identification, which privacy advocates argue constitutes mass surveillance and a serious invasion of privacy. This criminal complaint marks a shift from administrative penalties to criminal liability, potentially setting a precedent for enforcement against non-EU companies that misuse European biometric data. Clearview primarily markets its technology to law enforcement but has also been used by private corporations, raising concerns about oversight and legal compliance. The outcome of this case could significantly influence the regulation of facial recognition technology and privacy enforcement in Europe.