Key facts
- Clearview AI successfully appealed a 7.5 million pound fine from the UK's ICO.
- The tribunal found the ICO lacked jurisdiction over Clearview AI's operations.
Clearview AI has successfully appealed a 7.5 million British pound fine imposed by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The tribunal ruled the ICO lacked jurisdiction over the company's activities, which exclusively served non-UK law enforcement. The decision does not grant a blanket permission for data scraping.
The ruling impacts the enforcement capabilities of data protection authorities against international companies that process UK residents' data, particularly concerning the scraping of publicly available images. It clarifies jurisdictional boundaries for regulators.
US tech firm Clearview AI has successfully appealed a 7.5 million pound fine issued by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO had found Clearview AI in breach of GDPR rules for collecting and using images of UK residents scraped from the internet and social media. A tribunal ruled that the ICO did not have jurisdiction to enforce the fine or action because Clearview AI's services were exclusively used by law enforcement and national security bodies outside the UK. Data privacy lawyers noted that the ruling specifically addressed the exemption for foreign law enforcement and does not grant a blanket permission for scraping publicly available data. The ICO stated it would consider its next steps.
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