London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Rights groups concerned about proposed surveillance for Paris Olympics

Rights groups concerned about proposed surveillance for Paris Olympics

The French government's proposition to use video surveillance assisted by artificial intelligence during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has sparked a fierce debate in France.

The Senate voted at the end of January overwhelmingly in favour of a bill that would allow its use during the event, with proponents arguing that the technology would help prevent crowd crushes or terrorist attacks.

These fears are not surprising given the chaos of last year's Champion's League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France, where police used tear gas and some fans complained of antisocial behaviour and muggings around the stadium.

The shadow of the November 2015 coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris undoubtedly also plays a role in the government's decision, as the event could attract 13 million spectators.

However, opponents to the bill, such as human rights groups, fear that it will pose a danger to civil liberties, transforming the country into a police state.


How would the law work?


The legislation includes plans to use AI to detect, for the first time ever in France, suspicious body language or crowd movements through CCTV cameras and drones, information which would be sent directly to the police.

Indicators of suspicious behaviour could include individuals being static, walking the wrong way or wearing a some form of cover.

The technology could also be used around stadiums, on streets, and on public transport.

Another point of contention is that the bill states the cameras can be used until June 2025 during sporting, festive, or cultural events, as part of an experimental pilot.

The bill still has some hurdles to overcome before it is implemented during the Olympic Games; in March it should be examined by the National Assembly, before an independent commission (CNIL) reviews the legislation.

Minister of Sport, Olympics and Paralympics Amélie Oudéa-Castéra

 
The French Minister of Sport, the Olympic and Paralympic games, wrote on Twitter: "Adoption at first reading by @Senat of #PJLJOP. Thank you to the senators for their contributions to this text, which will promote the best possible organization of the #Paris2024 Games. The examination will continue at @AssembleeNat with the same desire for balance of @gouvernementFR."


Is this technology already in use?


Some French cities already use a similar form of artificial intelligence to impose the law, such as in Massy, a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris.

Régis Lebeaupin, Video Protection Manager at Massy Municipial Police explained how algorithms are used to help police detect traffic offences.

He said: "When a vehicle parks in a prohibited space, video analysis sends us a signal that saves us time. The image comes directly to us."

Currently, this technology is highly regulated; in France, facial recognition is prohibited and should remain so when the new law is passed.

Lebeaupin added: "The French legal framework prohibits the cross-referencing of data. Of course I film faces, however, the law forbids me to link this face to an identity."


A threat to civil liberties?


On 13 February, French digital rights group, La Quadrature du Net, launched a campaign against the use of algorithmic video surveillance.

Noémie Levain, a lawyer from the group, said: "The Olympics are a pretext. We know that it won't stop in 2025. As soon as there is an experiment, it is perpetuated. It's important to see the movement that France is taking with this law, to want to give more importance to the development of the video surveillance market than to public liberties.

Translation: The @laquadrature is launching a campaign against article 7 of the law #JO2024 on algorithmic video surveillance (VSA). Long wanted by the government, and strongly pushed by the police and the growing private security market.


Levain argued that while in Brussels regulation of such measures is being debated, in France the government "doesn't care" about civil liberties.

"In two months it has passed a law that takes the opposite path. It is the first European country to adopt such a law," she added.

Another area of concern for civil liberty groups is data retention, which has so far been set at five years, a time period which would stretch far beyond the Olympic Games.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
×