This investigative reporting project uncovers how European companies have exported facial recognition technology to countries with weak regulatory frameworks, such as Colombia and Uruguay. Despite the European AI Act restricting the use of facial recognition within the EU, these powerful surveillance tools have been sold abroad without similar oversight, enabling mass surveillance and infringing on citizens' rights.
In Colombia, companies like Idemia from France helped build vast biometric databases, which are now used by police to monitor and control public spaces. Meanwhile, Spanish company Herta Security supplied technology used in both Colombia and Uruguay, including systems for real-time surveillance in sports stadiums. Through in-depth research and collaboration with local journalists and civil society organizations, this project has exposed the scope of these exports and the real-world impact on individuals.
The findings highlight the hidden connections between European firms and state actors in Latin America, shedding light on the unregulated global trade in AI surveillance technology. This investigation aims to spark public debate on the ethical implications of these exports and calls for greater accountability in the industry.
Photo caption: The Colégio Estadual Professor Loureiro Fernandes is among more than 1,700 schools in Paraná using the facial recognition software. Image by Leonardo Coelho/Investigate Europe.
