The European Commission, which is widely recognized as setting the global standard for data protection, has come under fire for proposing toothless regulations of artificial intelligence and biometric surveillance. The law raises fears that by setting a low baseline for privacy protections, governments around the world will fail to enact adequate safeguards for their own citizens. 

If technology is sold on the basis of this law, said Caitlin Bishop, a campaign manager at Privacy International, “that’s a problem.”

Critical reaction to the European Commission’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Act was sparked on April 14 by a leak in Politico. The draft law is the first legal framework on the use of AI in the world, and it also creates standards for the use of remote biometric mass surveillance tools in public spaces. However, there are significant exemptions and it does not outlaw facial recognition, as many had deemed essential to be effective.

An important advisor to the European Commission on privacy issues, known as the European Data Protection Supervisor, called for an outright ban on facial recognition.