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Surveillance by drones soon authorized?

In the name of better security, are we going to be monitored more? The new bill on comprehensive security, carried by the LREM deputy Jean-Michel Fauvergue (ex-boss of the Raid), plans to give “A legal regime” for the use of drones for surveillance purposes. For the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, this will allow “Note violations, better supervise demonstrations and monitor our coasts”.

However, it is precisely the use of drones by the Paris police headquarters that was formally prohibited in May the state Council. The high court had ordered the State to “Immediately stop drone surveillance” of Paris, the authorities seeking, then, to identify any illegal gathering.

These devices, flying at a height of 80 to 100 m, and being equipped with zooms, the advisers had considered that the filmed images allowed “To collect identifying data” and did not respect the framework of the Data Protection Act of January 6, 1978.

“What does he do with the images? “

However, despite the decision of the Council of State, the police have continued to use drones in Paris. Mediapart thus revealed, a few days ago, the testimony of two activists of the Inter-urgences collective arrested at their home by the police officers: a few minutes before, they had made fly, thanks to balloons inflated with helium, an opposing banner to Emmanuel Macron. “The police had images, taken by drones, of the person who threw the banner”, specifies the interested party to Mediapart. The association La Quadrature du Net has initiated an appeal against the use of these drones. The decision is expected in a few days.

However, with this future legal framework, surveillance by drones will in the future be legally possible: in the event of gatherings of people, prevention of terrorist acts, to prosecute the perpetrators, to rescue to a person…

Another article (21) of the bill authorizes, moreover, the police to use in real time the images taken using mobile cameras. And no more in the aftermath in the event of an incident. “This worries us, because no one seems to care about the value of these cameras anymore. And besides, what does he do with these images afterwards? “ asks Martin Drago, lawyer at Quadrature du Net. According to the association, the coupling of these images with different software (facial recognition, silhouette detection …) “Risk of resulting in automated video surveillance. At the start of the epidemic, these images of drones in China controlling the population surprised us. But isn’t it just arriving in France? “

At this stage, the Cnil (National Commission for Informatics and Freedoms) has not yet been asked for an opinion on this bill, which is examined on Wednesday November 4 by the Law Commission at the National Assembly .

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