Facial Recognition Technologies in Africa: From Deployment to Advocacy

In recent years, various governments across Africa started employing facial recognition technologies in public spaces. Facial recognition’s recent circulation has coincided with novel and emerging digital transformations fueled by a wide set of actors. They have often attempted to use technical biometrics solutions to solve intractable and complex public problems. At the same time, these technologies have raised concerns from civil liberty and digital rights activist who worry about their role in reinforcing authoritarian capacities and accelerating processes of social inequalities. Dr. Nothias provides an overview of the deployment of facial recognition technologies across Africa and analyzes various local and transnational advocacy efforts to oppose their deployment.

This event is hosted by the Centre for African Smart Public Value Governance (C4SP). For further inquires, contact info@c4sp.org.

Speakers

• Toussaint Nothias - Director of Research, Digital Civil Society Lab