MPs Call for Ban on Chinese Surveillance Camera Technology
upstart writes:
MPs call for ban on Chinese surveillance camera technology:
A cross-party group of MPs has called on the government to ban the sale and operation of CCTV surveillance cameras linked to human rights abuses in China.
Surveillance cameras supplied by Chinese manufacturers Hikvision and Dahua are widely used in state "re-education" camps, which have been accused of subjecting Uyghur Muslims to forced labour and torture.
The cameras have been banned in the US, but are widely used in the UK across government departments and companies.
[...] They also called on the government to commission an independent national review of the scale, capabilities, ethics and human rights impact of modern CCTV in the UK.
[...] "This technology comes equipped with advanced surveillance capabilities, such as facial recognition, person tracking and gender identification," he said. "These pose a significant threat to civil liberties in our countries.
"These companies, Hikvision and Dahua, are Chinese state-owned companies, raising urgent questions over whether they also pose a threat to national security."
The MPs' call to action follows research by campaign group Big Brother Watch that found the cameras have been widely deployed by government bodies including councils, secondary schools, NHS trusts, universities and police forces in the UK.
[...] The campaign group said the Chinese companies supply rebranded cameras that are sold under other names, including Honeywell and Toshima, so that the true number of Hikvision and Dahua cameras used in the UK public sector may be significantly higher.
Previously: The World's Biggest Surveillance Company You've Never Heard of
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