Video monitoring at Anger's location has faced a delay in implementation - Initiating Video Monitoring Driven by Anger's Anticipation
**Delay in Video Surveillance Installation at Erfurt's Anger Square Due to Data Protection Concerns**
The planned installation of video surveillance at Anger Square in Erfurt has been postponed due to data protection concerns. The city administration is currently reviewing legal and technical frameworks to ensure that any use of video surveillance, especially involving Artificial Intelligence (AI), complies with strict data privacy regulations.
The proposed surveillance system was intended to incorporate AI-based technologies for real-time analysis, such as automated detection of unusual behaviours or potential security threats. However, these AI functions raise significant data protection and privacy issues, as they involve the processing of personal data in public spaces.
The authorities are currently evaluating the legal basis under the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure that the deployment respects citizens’ privacy rights. Public authorities need to justify that the surveillance is essential for public safety and that less intrusive measures are insufficient. Moreover, there must be clear regulations on data storage duration, access rights, and safeguards against misuse.
In addition to these concerns, adjustments are still needed to make unidentifiable areas that cannot be surveilled. The entrance areas of doctor's practices, law firms, and restaurants are among the areas requiring adjustments, with precise technical descriptions concerning centimeters.
Regarding AI usage, the police do not have concrete plans to use Artificial Intelligence for the processing or evaluation of camera images from the video surveillance in Erfurt. The holiday season may extend the delay before the surveillance begins.
This cautious approach reflects Germany’s high standards for data protection and the challenges of using AI in public surveillance legally and ethically. The city administration is working on establishing a robust legal basis to justify AI-supported video surveillance that balances public security with individual privacy rights.
Despite the delay, the video surveillance in Anger has already been installed and largely set up. The police are coordinating with the state data protection officer to ensure that any future deployment adheres to the strict data protection regulations. The Anger area is frequently the site of drug offenses, thefts, brawls, and other violent crimes, making the need for increased security a pressing concern for the city administration and its residents.
The community policy and employment policy must address the ethical and legal aspects of deploying video surveillance equipped with AI-based technologies in public spaces like Anger Square, considering the data privacy concerns raised by the city administration.
To address the concerns related to data-and-cloud-computing, general-news, and crime-and-justice within the proposed video surveillance system, the city administration should ensure clear regulations on data storage duration, access rights, and safeguards against misuse before initiating the real-time analysis involving AI, automated detection, and potential security threats.
