MONACO - THE SAFEST COUNTRY
Two weeks ago, a long-awaited bill on facial recognition was presented to Monaco's National Council, promising heated debates in 2024. The principality's government aims to legally regulate this technology to address growing threats. Facial recognition, previously tested at international events like the 2017 G20 Summit and the 2019 Nice Carnival, could soon be implemented in the Principality, reinforcing its high-security standards—one of the cornerstones of its appeal.
The bill aims to automate the detection of movements, individuals, or suspicious objects, easing decision-making for video surveillance operators. However, it emphasizes that this technology should not replace human intervention. Currently, operators at the Operational Command and Control Center (CSCO) perform these tasks visually, overseeing nearly 1,000 cameras throughout the country for activities such as identifying wanted individuals and coordinating police interventions.
While the use of facial recognition is limited, debates about its potential are contentious. The bill has been referred to the Legislation Committee for review and potential amendments. It seeks to regulate "the use of video protection and surveillance of public places for the detection, search, and identification of sought-after individuals or those reported through remote biometric identification systems." Artificial intelligence could play a pivotal role in swiftly detecting critical situations without, however, being employed to identify each individual, addressing concerns related to privacy and individual liberties.
