Hoan Ton-That, the CEO of Clearview AI, has decided to step down from his position, as reported by Forbes. The controversial facial recognition company received criticism in 2020 after gathering billions of images from social media without users’ consent to create a global facial recognition database. With Trump allies now leading Clearview, concerns are growing that a potential Trump administration could expand biometric surveillance, increasing risks for Black and immigrant communities. Clearview AI’s change in leadership Ton-That stepped down as CEO in December, becoming president before later announcing his full
Despite the controversy surrounding its facial recognition software, Clearview A.I. has found a new home amongst public defenders. The move, described as a “P.R. stunt to try to push back against the negative publicity,” has begun allowing public defenders to access its facial recognition database, which holds more than 20 billion facial images. The controversy explained Earlier this year, the controversial facial recognition program found itself amid legal drama after being fined more than £7.5 million by the U.K.’s privacy watchdog. The fine came after a few senators called on federal agencies
