Chinese Surveillance Firm Dahua Facing Controversy Over Cameras with Skin Colour Analytics Feature in Europe
Chinese surveillance equipment manufacturer Dahua has come under scrutiny for selling cameras with a skin colour analytics feature in Europe, as reported by the US-based security and surveillance industry research group IPVM. The feature allows the cameras to detect and analyse the skin colour of individuals captured in the footage. The IPVM report stated that Dahua defended the feature, calling it a basic feature of a smart security solution. However, this move has raised concerns about racial profiling and violations of privacy and human rights.
According to IPVM’s 2018 statistical report, Dahua and another Chinese video surveillance company, Hikvision, have won contracts worth $1 billion from the government of China’s Xinjiang province, an area with a significant Uyghur population. In February 2021, IPVM and the Los Angeles Times reported that Dahua provided a video surveillance system to the Chinese police, which included features like real-time Uyghur warnings and analysis of characteristics such as eyebrow size, skin colour, and ethnicity.
The IPVM report revealed that Dahua’s ICC Open Platform guide includes skin colour/complexion under the category of human body characteristics. The company’s analytics tools reportedly target three skin colour types: yellow, black, and white. This claim was verified by VOA Mandarin, referencing Dahua’s Chinese website. Dahua has integrated the skin colour analytics feature into its Smart Office Park solution, which is designed for large corporate campuses in China.
Critics argue that the inclusion of skin colour detection in surveillance applications brings about significant ethical concerns and violates human rights. Charles Rollet, co-author of the IPVM report, highlights that cameras equipped with this feature attempt to determine an individual’s skin colour, exposing them to potential racial discrimination. Dahua’s decision to market cameras with the skin colour analytics feature in three European countries—Germany, France, and the Netherlands—is particularly alarming, given the recent history of racial tension in these regions.
In response to the controversy, Dahua has defended its technology, stressing that the ability to identify observable characteristics such as height, weight, hair and eye colour, and general categories of skin colour is essential for smart security solutions. The company aims to distance itself from any accusations of racial profiling and claims that its products do not target any specific ethnic group. However, the presence of skin tone analytics in surveillance technology has long been a contentious issue, and their use raises questions about privacy, discrimination, and the erosion of civil liberties.
Both the United States and the European Union have taken steps to address the concerns surrounding facial recognition and surveillance technologies. The US Federal Communications Commission has identified products from Chinese companies like Dahua and Hikvision as potential threats to national security. In June 2022, the European Union introduced a revision proposal to its draft Artificial Intelligence Law, which could ultimately lead to the banning of facial recognition systems in public spaces.
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have emphasized the need for companies to prioritize human rights and avoid technologies like skin tone analytics. They argue that surveillance software with these capabilities carries significant risks, including racial profiling, infringement of privacy rights, and discrimination. The potential for false arrests and the sorting of individuals based on their skin colour further underscores the concerns raised by critics.
While Dahua maintains that its technology is not designed to enable racial identification, this issue highlights the need for increased scrutiny and regulation of surveillance technologies worldwide. The controversy surrounding cameras with skin colour analytics reinforces the debate surrounding the use of facial recognition and the potential for abuse if not properly regulated. As governments and organizations grapple with these challenges, finding a balance between security and respecting fundamental rights remains crucial to ensuring a just and equitable society.
