The Indian investigation agency is keen for social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to use Microsoft-developed facial recognition app to track criminals.
According to this Indian Express report, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the guilty party and it wants these platforms to use the PhotoDNA app that technically has been used to prevent and identify child pornography content on the internet. But the CBI wants to utilise this software to track criminals, which is a clear violation of privacy rules in the country.
The PhotoDNA is a free-to-use software and its usage globally has been limited to tracking child pornography images and blocking extremist content.
As mentioned in the report, to make the surveillance possible, the CBI under Section 91 of CrPC has issued notices to these social media platforms, "For the purpose of investigation, you are requested to conduct PhotoDNA in respect of photographs CBI asks social media firms to use intrusive photo tech to track suspects enclosed herewith. The said information is required very urgently for the purpose of investigation."
The fact that the CBI states the use of this software is “very urgent” should be of grave concern and the experts quoted in the report aren’t sure how India and its government plans to use this for various purpose.
Sources mentioned in the report were quick to point out they don’t know of any legal restriction for the use of PhotoDNA in India, for cases other than child exploitation.
Experts also think that such a freedom given to social media platform would go against the ethos of the free internet and its usage. PhotoDNA was made by Microsoft aiming to reduce the availability of child exploitation images and CBI has set a different agenda and surveillance use case in the country.
The software, as mentioned in the report, creates a unique digital signature of the image, which is then used for comparison with other photos available in the database.
Microsoft says that the database of images is maintained by US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Internet Watch Foundation and Project Vic but with CBI asking popular platforms to track users, this puts privacy of all social media users in jeopardy.
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