Visual and biometric surveillance in the EU. Saying ‘no’ to mass surveillance practices?12

Abstract

Earlier this year, the European Commission (EC) registered the ‘Civil society initiative for a ban on biometric mass surveillance practices’, a European Citizens’ Initiative. Citizens are thus given the opportunity to authorize the EC to suggest the adoption of legislative instruments to permanently ban biometric mass surveillance practices. This contribution finds the above initiative particularly promising, as part of a new development of bans in the European Union (EU). It analyses the EU’s approach to facial, visual and biometric surveillance,3 with the objective of submitting some ideas that the European legislator could consider when strictly regulating such practices.