Access systems that work with facial recognition are becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands. The taboo on it is decreasing, so that companies want to use it in their office buildings and event organizations also want to apply it. But it is actually a very scary development, especially because facial scans can be linked to the corona QR codes.
The technique is increasingly used for access controls and there are also more and more companies that sell the facial scans. That all sounds very nice, but there is also a dark side to it. This is evident from this quote from the BNR-article: “Especially festivals are now more interested in facial recognition techniques. ‘We can link the facial scans to the corona QR codes and therefore you can let visitors in much faster. We have already placed scans at the entrances of twenty-five festivals. Another ten are planned for the autumn,’ says Silke Geerts, member of the Compo management.
True of horeca As the use of wristbands (an idea inspired by their use at festivals) has increased, event organizers are increasingly using facial recognition systems. And then also the corona QR-codes linking to facial scans… Gosh, how strange that people still hesitant are for these types of facial scans!
Using it at festivals is the fastest way to get used to these kinds of systems. Exactly what we shouldn’t want! You never know for sure where the data is being provided and who can view it. Privacy is ultimately thrown overboard, especially if it is going to be used for all kinds of buildings and public spaces. Cameras on streets and squares, for example. If there’s someone walking around who doesn’t have a QR code, you can easily pick it up.
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It doesn’t have to go that way, but it comes eerily close to the idea of a surveillance company. No problem if you have nothing to hide, but everyone has something to hide. It’s deadly.
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