6/9/22, 10:03 AM Myanmar: Facial Recognition System Threatens Rights | Human Rights Watch DONATE NOW March 12, 2021 2:51PM EST Available In English ဗမာစကား 简体中文 繁體中文 日本語 Myanmar: Facial Recognition System Threatens Rights Camera Surveillance, Mass Data Collection Bolsters Abusive Junta A police officer takes photos of protesters in Yangon, Myanmar on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. © 2021 AP Photo (Bangkok) – The Myanmar military junta’s access to a new public camera system equipped with facial recognition and license plate recognition technology poses a serious threat to basic rights in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. Increased surveillance abilities through artificial intelligence technology are a heightened concern after the February 1 military coup, as the junta has increasingly used deadly force against protesters and others expressing opposing views. On December 14, 2020, Myanmar authorities rolled out the first phase of its “Safe City” initiative and started using a system of 335 surveillance cameras in eight townships in the capital, Naypyidaw. The https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/12/myanmar-facial-recognition-system-threatens-rights 1/7