A Historical Perspective on Civil Society Activism and the Campaign to Ban Digital Facial Recognition Technologies in Public Security in Brazil

This chapter proposes an analysis of the Brazilian context and, more specifically, of the recent movement of civil society entities to ban digital facial recognition technologies (FRT) in Brazilian public security. Through interviews with activists and policymakers and an analysis of materials produced by civil society organizations, the text explores the perspectives, strategies, and demands presented in the campaign to ban FRT in public security in Brazil. Among the points addressed and explored are the national and international context of the campaign; the police’s use of FRT and its connections to Brazil’s history; and, finally, the new developments and challenges in advocating for the banning of FRT use by security forces. The argument put forward is that the case analysed allows us to see that civil society mobilization about the FRT has grown and strengthened, and that although it is recent, it makes sense when placed in a historical perspective, especially in relation to other social movements. Furthermore, although the investigation is centred on a case study in Brazil, global connections are explored.