Facial Recognition Implemented in Moscow

Security cameras mounted on apartment buildings are a common method of surveillance in Moscow. (Pikrepo)

Moscow became the latest city to introduce facial recognition software, sparking outrage from many human rights activist groups, including Amnesty International. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the mass implementation of the controversial technology on January 23. 

The Russian capital first started using facial recognition in 2017 via FindFace, a program designed by the Russian firm Ntechlab that matches faces with profile pictures on the widely used Russian social media site VKontakte. Sobyanin said that on January 1, the program was implemented on a “mass scale.” Since its inception, FindFace has become connected to a network of 160,000 CCTV cameras, which together cover the entrances to 95 percent of apartment buildings in Moscow.

Since Sobyanin’s statement, a Moscow activist group has taken to the streets, advocating for greater privacy by painting their faces with black streaks in an attempt to throw off facial recognition. This group, Sledui, whose name means “follow” in Russian, represents widespread discontent felt by many Russian citizens. President Vladimir Putin, however, has repeatedly silenced persistent efforts to increase civil society by groups such as Sledui.

The calls for change by Russian activists have support from Amnesty International. The NGO has joined the fight for greater civil rights in Russia, saying Moscow’s latest stunt does not comply with international human rights law. Amnesty International’s Natalia Zviagina called facial recognition technology “by nature deeply intrusive, as it enables the widespread monitoring… of sensitive personal data without individualized reasonable suspicion.” 

Despite pushback from human rights activists, Russia is emerging as a global leader in facial recognition software, mirroring invasive measures taken by authoritarian countries like China. Russian authorities claim FindFace facial recognition helps with crime-fighting, but skeptics are wary that the software will make it more difficult to protest with anonymity. As protest has become the easiest way for Russians to fight their oppressive government, the implications of a software that could easily identify anyone who dissents against the government are great.