The National Assembly has adopted article 7 concerning the use of “intelligent” video surveillance during the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
It is a controversial article which was voted on Thursday in the National Assembly. Article 7 of the Olympic law concerning the use of “intelligent” video surveillance during the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 was indeed adopted, with 59 votes in favor (presidential majority – Les Républicains – National Rally) and 14 votes against ( Nudes). This law will allow software based on artificial intelligence to automatically analyze, via images from surveillance cameras, potentially risky situations such as abandoned luggage, unusual crowd movements or gatherings.
The list of events to be detected will be fixed by decree, after consulting the National Commission for Computing and Liberties (Cnil). “It’s about having a decision-making tool for law enforcement, it’s not about recognizing people who have this or that profile, or hoodies, but predetermined situations , such as fire outbreaks, bottlenecks, abandoned packages or crowd movements,” said Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
The law in force from the Rugby World Cup?
An amendment from the National Rally according to which the exploitation of video surveillance images should primarily be done via European companies has been voted. The application of the law will be done until December 31, 2024 (and not June 2025 as originally planned). It will apply to “sporting, recreational or cultural events” in general, which “by their scale or their circumstances, are particularly exposed to the risk of acts of terrorism or serious threats to the safety of persons”, continued the Minister. It remains to be seen when it will begin. This could be the case during the Rugby World Cup in France this fall.
