According to the organization, the country does not have specific legislation to protect citizens’ rights.
At the end of an investigation on video surveillance in Ecuador, Fundamedios asked the national government and municipalities of the country to avoid the implementation of biometric surveillance technology for the facial recognition of citizens in video surveillance in the national territory.
According to the organization, after an investigation into video surveillance in the country from a human rights perspective, it was evidenced that the country It does not have specific legislation precautele citizens’ rights before the current monitoring.
The entity also points out that the country “fails to comply with international standards that suggest taking effective measures to prevent the illegal retention, processing and use of personal data stored by public authorities and companies. The indiscriminate and massive surveillance also violates the right of peaceful assembly, according to the UN (United Nations Organization) ”, it was indicated in a letter.
Also, Fundamedios raised several requests both to the Assembly and to the integrated service of the ECU-911.
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He called on the Legislature to establish a regulation that fills “the current void” and that regulates the use of video surveillance taking into account the UN recommendations on the implementation of surveillance with artificial intelligence.
“The Organic Law for the Protection of Personal Data, approved in May 2021, does not mention the limits of video surveillance, nor does it clearly refer to personal data obtained through video surveillance cameras (or facial recognition)”, highlighted Fundamedios.
Meanwhile, the organization for the protection of the rights to free expression urged that “the confidential information reserve that the ECU-911 has maintained since 2013 in the protocols, procedures, methodologies, instructions for emergency care, video surveillance and receiving calls to 911. Confidentiality is established until 2028 ″, he indicated.
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Regarding confidentiality, according to Fundamedios, which cites the Law on Access to Public Information, it only applies to national defense issues against possible threats against the Ecuadorian State, details on the location of war material and reserve funds for national defense. “Therefore, there is no justification for the ECU-911 procedures to be reserved,” he said.
In the investigation, which had the support of Digital Rights for four months of this year, documents from four municipalities were reviewed: Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca and Latacunga; also from the ECU-911. For this, 25 requests for access to information were made to institutions immersed in the subject, 12 interviews and a review of dozens of decrees, contracts and national and international legislation.
Greater training for security and justice operators on human rights and possible violations and the indiscriminate use of video surveillance content for institutional communication on social networks are part of the findings found in the study.
Faced with the acquisition of cameras with facial recognition capacity in the cities analyzed, Fundamedios expressed concern about the massive purchase of these equipment due to the lack of adequate legislation to protect citizen rights.
The study also verified that the municipalities have acquired more than 300 computers with facial recognition capacity, however, none of these cameras would fulfill this mission “as they are not connected to a database with the software adequate ”, it was indicated.
Fundamedios is concerned that in the coming years the massive purchase of facial recognition technology is expected without having robust legislation that prevents the violation of citizens’ rights.
For this reason, the entity considered it pertinent that the public be made aware of the right to privacy and intimacy. (I)
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