Justice Minister prioritizes solving crime over facial recognition concerns

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard emphasizes solving Swedish criminals’ activities in Denmark over concerns about facial recognition technology and rights principles. At a press conference following a meeting with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, political parties, and National Police Chief Thorkild Fogde, he expressed his willingness to allow police to use this technology despite some parties’ principled opposition. The discussion arises amidst a surge in gang-related shootings. Fogde clarifies this tool is not for real-time surveillance like in China, but to expedite the review of large image archives. Currently, manual review by police is time-intensive, and technology could hasten this process. Legal and economic aspects are yet to be clarified. The National Police Chief sees the technology as a means to recognize patterns in crime-solving, emphasizing the deterrence of a high risk of discovery and severe punishment. The masterminds behind crimes often operate using encrypted digital services abroad, so a long-term strategic approach is necessary.