Personal Information Protection Commission puts companies ahead of our right to privacy

January 18, 2022

PERSONAL INFORMATION PROTECTION COMMISSION PUTS COMPANIES AHEAD OF OUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY

In July last year, JR East announced that it would install face recognition surveillance cameras in all stations and trains under its jurisdiction. At that time, JR East stated that there was no problem with the face recognition surveillance cameras, saying, “In introducing face recognition technology, we have consulted with the Personal Information Protection Commission (PPC) and are taking measures in accordance with the law.

In order to find out what kind of “consultation” took place between JR East and the Personal Information Protection Commission, and on what basis the Commission gave its approval to the face recognition cameras, we filed a request for disclosure of information. Most of the documents disclosed were blacked out and did not disclose any of the specifics we wanted to know.

Public transportation is an essential means of transportation that we all have to use on a daily basis. If biometric technology such as face recognition is introduced in such transportation, and if it is linked to various databases, it could cause serious privacy violations. We are all a part of this problem, and biometric data is our data, not that of the transportation company. We have a right to know, at the very least, how the facial recognition surveillance cameras were installed. Also, if the Privacy Commission has given its approval to the facial recognition surveillance cameras, it means that the government agency, which is supposed to be responsible for protecting our personal data, has not only failed to fully fulfill its responsibility, but has also actively contributed to putting our personal data at risk. However, in this disclosure, all the parts that might have answered our questions have been blacked out. In the future, it will be necessary to make efforts to have the blacked-out parts disclosed again. (Citizens’ Liaison Committee, Toshimaru Ogura)

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