The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the broadest coalition in Palestinian society, stands firmly with all those calling for an ultimate ban on facial recognition technology. In the meanwhile, we reiterate our call for boycotting Israeli facial recognition company AnyVision because of its particular involvement in crimes against Palestinians.
Facial Recognition is a highly invasive technology that is used by police and military forces in dragnet-style surveillance, racial profiling, and targeting of activists. It disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities.
It has become increasingly toxic, thanks to the inspiring Black-led uprising against systemic racism and police brutality in the US and the longtime work of anti-racist, civil rights, and privacy groups around the world.
Some US cities have instituted bans or are discussing a ban on facial recognition technology, and major corporations have recently sought to distance themselves from it publicly. IBM has stated it will end research into facial recognition, while Amazon and Microsoft have suspended sales of the technology to police forces until federal regulations are in place.
While these steps represent an important turning point, they fall short of an all-out ban on facial recognition technology. A dangerous, intrusive, insidious technology cannot be regulated into a force for good. Many of these same tech companies have lobbied to block new laws or advocated for watered-down legislation to protect their business interests while feigning concern for civil rights.
As some US tech companies pulled back from facial recognition, Israeli company AnyVision doubled down, stating it has no plans to leave the business, calling IBM’s position “ridiculous” and accusing it of “raising its hands in surrender.”
AnyVision provides the Israeli military with its facial recognition technology at military checkpoints in the occupied Palestinian territory and maintains surveillance cameras for the Israeli military deep inside the West Bank. This technology is used to spy on Palestinians and enables the Israeli military’s illegal targeting of civilians. AnyVision, which is led by veteran Israeli military and intelligence personnel, can market its technology as “field-tested” on Palestinians living under Israel’s military occupation and oppressive apartheid regime.
Last March, Microsoft divested from AnyVision following a global campaign led by Jewish Voice for Peace.
It is time to end the use of this harmful technology.
We renew our calls for local authorities, corporations, universities, and research centers to immediately end all ties with AnyVision until a comprehensive ban on this insidious technology is accomplished.