From June 1 of this year, the "God's Eye" (rus. A new face recognition system called "Glaz Boga" will be launched. Through this system, citizens' faces are identified through surveillance cameras in public places, frames in shopping centers, and even household intercoms, and data is transmitted to law enforcement agencies.
For example, in Moscow, more than 160,000 video cameras operate online and are connected to the facial recognition system. This system has the ability to identify faces within seconds and send data to a central database. In 2021 alone, one-third of Russia's 1 million cameras were connected to the facial recognition system.
The purpose of the system is to increase public safety and promptly identify offenses. However, human rights defenders argue that this system could pose a threat to privacy. For example, in 2018, it became known that an activist in Moscow, Mikhail Aksel, was illegally monitored through a facial recognition system.
The Russian government presents this system as a means of ensuring the safety of citizens. However, experts and human rights defenders are concerned about the confidentiality of personal data and the possibility of illegal use of the system.
Abdullah Sayyid
