News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Banning facial recognition is missing the point. Parent comment

Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by jammygit on Thursday January 23, 2020 @09:02PM (#22134709)
In Canada, it’s now illegal to hide your face during a protest (a gift from the Harper years)
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by schlowmo on Thursday January 23, 2020 @10:14PM (#22135083)
Unfortunately this is already illegal in some other western countries for quite some time. In Germany for example since 1985 (one year late though). It's often used as legitimation when the police is using violence against otherwise peaceful protests.

In the aftermath of the G20 summit in Hamburg there were some advancements to even tighten the law while at the same time the police was using illegal face recognition software.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by petre on Friday January 24, 2020 @01:46AM (#22135937)
What about fake beards and moustaches? I've heard they're the norm in Korea. Imagine thousands of Santa Claus or Paul von Hindenburg protesting.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by raxxorrax on Friday January 24, 2020 @03:26AM (#22136390)
Illegal surveillance technology deployed warrants illegal masks in my opinion. But you should also hide eyes, ears and nose to the highest degree as possible. But even then advanced image processing will probably be able to identify you if you are already on record in some form.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by DonHopkins on Friday January 24, 2020 @05:10AM (#22136831)
Alas, maybe if everyone at the Women's March on Washington wore fake beards and moustaches instead of pink pussy hats, they would have been taken more seriously.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by beached_whale on Thursday January 23, 2020 @09:14PM (#22134766)
Yet to be tried in court, I think. I suspect, that unless someone is using a facial covering to hide their face while breaking the law, it would probably be found against the charter. One does not need to identify law abiding citizens and protesting is very protected expression.

Not a lawyer though, so I speak with little authority on the topic.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by radicsge on Friday January 24, 2020 @01:15AM (#22135818)
In the solidarity protests for HK in Vancouver almost everybody wears them for obvious reason. Would be interesting if Canadian police require to remove them...
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by benjymo on Friday January 24, 2020 @05:06AM (#22136817)
In Austria it's illegal to wear a face mask if it's not cold enough or for special cultural activities that are "tradition" thanks to the last right wing - far right government.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by selimthegrim on Friday January 24, 2020 @09:48AM (#22138710)
I.e. Krampus?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Banning facial recognition is missing the point by numakerg on Thursday January 23, 2020 @09:18PM (#22134782)
Bill C-309 is the law in question [1]. It should only affect "unlawful" assemblies, but I'd be interested to see what the functional criteria are, how much warning is appropriate, and whether a protest's status can be changed retroactively.

>Harper years

The Liberals were also supporters of this bill, including the current Prime Minister.

[ Parent | on HN ]