At a time when injustice is growing,

populists and racists are on the rise -

as we are also trying to

combat discrimination based on appearance and origin,

the EU supports the research and use

of technology that further intensifies these problems:

Biometric mass surveillance systems.

The hope associated with this is understandable:

More security, more efficiency -

less crime!

But from a scientific point of view, it is not justified:

Because every "artificial intelligence" has to be trained with selected data.

So it always learns the unconscious biases of its programmers.

In practice they are self-reinforcing -

fully automated and incredibly fast:

"These people cause problems quite often.

They need to be watched more closely.

These people cause problems quite often.

They need to be watched more closely..."

And if you are thinking:

"Oh, that doesn't concern me - I have nothing to hide..."

it is worth looking at how this typically progresses:

Even harmless-looking systems,

which were initially intended only for convenient selective identification,

are subsequently also used for large-scale monitoring.

It makes sense: "If the technology exists,

it was expensive to purchase

And it can recognize suspects..."

Up until now, virtually every system that was potentially capable of surveillance

has sooner or later been used for it.

And with biometric data, it becomes especially dangerous:

For example, even without your knowledge

your face can end up in databases,

which can always identify you everywhere -- completely automatically.

If your data is then shared or sold on and linked with other data,

it could have a devastating impact on your life.

Your creditworthiness, for example, could be restricted.

You could lose just your freedom to travel....

or you could lose all your freedom.

But even if a perfect,

safe, fair and completely neutral monitoring system existed:

There would always be a side effect.

The so-called "chilling effect":

According to this effect, people who feel that they are being watched

automatically behave in a more conformist way,

because they want to avoid attracting attention.

As a result, resistance to injustice

and solidarity within society decrease.

With far-reaching consequences.

But the EU has the opportunity to stop this trend now.

Help us and reclaim our public space.

Claim your rights:

To privacy, to freedom of speech,

to protest, and to freedom from discrimination.

What we need now are fair, non-discriminatory systems

with a human sense of proportion and reason.

This creates jobs

and frees up urgently needed resources:

Because the biggest problems that threaten our security,

cannot be solved with biometric surveillance,

profiling, and associated questionable fortune-telling.

On the contrary:

These are an additional danger to our rule of law

and our most important fundamental rights.

So sign the European Citizens' Initiative for a new law:

For a ban on biometric mass surveillance!

reclaimyourface.eu