UK authorities fined American startup Clearview AI £7.55 million ($9.5 million) for unlawfully extracting residents’ face images from social media and the open internet.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ordered the company to stop collecting data on United Kingdom residents and delete all information it holds about them.
“The company not only enables identifying these people, but effectively tracks their behaviour, offering it as a commercial service. This is unacceptable,” said UK Information Commissioner John Edwards.
In 2020, the ICO, together with Australia, began an investigation into Clearview AI. In late 2021 the regulator imposed a preliminary penalty of £17 million ($21.4 million).
At the time of issuing the final decision, the ICO noted that the company had unlawfully collected more than 20 billion facial images to augment its database.
“Although Clearview AI no longer offers its services to British organisations, the firm has clients in other countries, so it continues to use residents’ personal data,” the statement said.
The startup welcomed the reduction in the size of the fine, but said the decision was unlawful.
“Clearview AI does not fall under ICO jurisdiction, and the company is not currently doing business in the United Kingdom,” said Lee Woloski, a partner at Jenner and Block.
CEO Hoan Ton-That expressed “deep disappointment” at the decision.
“My company and I acted in Britain’s best interests and its people, helping law enforcement authorities uncover horrific crimes against children, the elderly and other victims of wrongdoing,” he said.
Earlier in May, Clearview AI to halt the sale of its facial-recognition tool to private companies in the United States.
In December 2021, the French regulator ordered the company to delete all citizens’ data and stop collecting it.
In November, Clearview AI was banned in Australia.
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