Surveillance at the Paris Olympics: The Dawn of AI-Powered Security Amid Privacy Concerns

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AI Surveillance Takes Center Stage at the Olympics

As Paris gears up for the Olympics' grand kickoff, the city is enveloped in a fortress of security measures. An astonishing count of 40,000 barricades partitions the city, while groups of stab vest-donned police officers roam the picturesque, stone-laid paths. Access to the Seine River is restricted, reserved only for those who have undergone prior screening and possess a unique QR code for entry. Soldiers in military attire, a common sight since the terror events of 2015, stand guard near a canal-side bakery, their berets in place and rifles held close to their bodies.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has recently been defending the strict security measures in place, describing them as necessary vigilance rather than excessive precaution. He has stated that France is currently dealing with an unprecedented security challenge for any nation to manage during peacetime. Speaking to the media this past Tuesday, he highlighted the severity of the situation. During an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, a weekly publication, Darmanin disclosed that individuals deemed to be a potential threat had attempted to secure positions to work or volunteer for the Olympics. This group included 257 individuals linked to radical Islam, 181 associated with the extreme left, and 95 connected to the extreme right. Furthermore, he informed BFM, a French news outlet, that a Russian national had been apprehended on charges of planning significant disruptive activities during the Olympic Games.

Residents of Paris continue to express their dissatisfaction with the disruption caused by road closures and the sudden termination of bike lanes, while human rights organizations are raising alarms over what they see as grave threats to essential freedoms. Such grievances are not uncommon when it comes to the Olympics, with past events often criticized for their heavy-handed security measures, earning nicknames like Lockdown London, Fortress Tokyo, and Rio's "arms race." In the current scenario, it's the less obvious security strategies that are sparking the most debate. In preparation for the upcoming Games, Paris has introduced advanced AI technology to enhance security, deploying sophisticated algorithms to analyze CCTV footage in transportation hubs for potential dangers. This system was initially put to the test at two Depeche Mode concerts in Paris in March.

Both detractors and proponents see the use of algorithms to monitor CCTV footage as a peek into the future of security systems, where the volume of surveillance video is beyond the capacity of human monitors to view. Noémie Levain, associated with the activist organization La Quadrature du Net that stands against AI surveillance, remarks, "The software acts as a surrogate for law enforcement, essentially serving as an amplified vision for the police."

At the entrance to the Porte de Pantin metro station, security cameras are mounted on the ceiling, housed within a discrete gray metallic enclosure. There's a minor notice affixed to the wall over the trash can, alerting anyone who takes a moment to look that they are part of a “video surveillance analysis trial.” The notice further clarifies that RATP, the organization operating the Paris metro, “may” engage in “real-time automated analysis” of the surveillance footage, which might include images of them, for the oblivious commuters hurrying by. According to the notice, this trial is scheduled to continue until March 2025.

The Porte de Pantin station is situated at the fringe of La Villette park, which will host the Olympic's Park of Nations. This area will feature pavilions from 15 different nations where spectators can enjoy various cuisines and beverages. Additionally, this Metro stop is among the 46 train and Metro stations selected for the implementation of CCTV algorithms during the Olympic games, as stated by the Paris Prefecture, an agency of the interior ministry. City officials did not respond to inquiries from WIRED regarding the potential extension of AI surveillance beyond the transportation system. According to legislation passed in March 2023, these algorithms are authorized to scan through CCTV footage in real-time for specific scenarios, including sudden crowd movements, unusually large gatherings, unattended items, visible weapons, or instances of individuals collapsing.

"Matthias Houllier, co-founder of Wintics, describes their project as revolutionizing the way CCTV cameras are used, making them a potent surveillance instrument," he states. Wintics is among the four French enterprises awarded contracts to implement their software for the Olympic Games. "Given the sheer number of cameras, it's not feasible for law enforcement to respond to each one," he adds.

In 2020, Wintics secured its inaugural governmental contract in Paris, tasked with collecting data on cyclist traffic across various city sectors. This initiative aimed to assist Parisian transport authorities in their efforts to expand bike lane infrastructure. By integrating its software with 200 pre-existing traffic surveillance systems, Wintics' technology is capable of detecting and enumerating cyclists amidst the bustling city streets, a system that remains in use. When the French government sought out firms capable of developing algorithms to bolster security for the upcoming summer Olympics, Houllier viewed this as a logical progression. "The underlying technology remains consistent," he stated, referring to the process of analyzing indistinct figures in public areas.

Following a comprehensive learning process utilizing both publicly available and artificially generated datasets, Wintics' technologies have been refined to accurately perform tasks such as estimating the size of a gathering or detecting instances of individuals collapsing. These systems are designed to notify operators when such occurrences surpass predefined limits.

"Houllier clarifies that the process isn't automated. He mentions that his group has educated officials from the interior ministry on the application of their software, leaving it to their discretion for implementation. According to him, the primary goal is to alert the operator, enabling them to verify the situation again and determine the necessary action."

Houllier contends that his algorithmic solutions offer a more privacy-respecting option compared to the contentious facial recognition technologies employed in previous international sports tournaments, like the 2022 Qatar World Cup. "We're seeking an alternative approach," he explains. Houllier believes that utilizing algorithms to scan CCTV footage can bolster event security while safeguarding individual liberties. "Our analysis doesn't involve any personal information. We focus solely on geometric patterns, avoiding facial identification, license plate detection, or behavior analysis."

Privacy advocates strongly oppose the notion that this technology safeguards individual liberties. In Paris' 20th district, Noémie Levain has recently acquired 6,000 posters. Her group intends to distribute these posters throughout the city to alert residents about the creeping "algorithmic surveillance" and to encourage them to stand against the "authoritarian takeover of public areas." She refutes the argument that these algorithms do not process personal information. "Whenever you capture images of individuals, you're analyzing all the data within those images, which constitutes personal and biometric data," she argues. "It’s fundamentally the same as facial recognition technology. The underlying principle is identical."

Levain is worried that the AI monitoring technology will stay in France well beyond the departure of the athletes. She believes that these digital tools will allow law enforcement and security agencies to extend their surveillance over larger areas of the city. "This tech will mirror the biases inherent in policing," she states. "It's clear they engage in discriminatory practices. They repeatedly target the same neighborhoods. They consistently bother the same individuals. And this technology, like all surveillance tools, will only facilitate this behavior."

Amidst the frustration of drivers in the urban heart due to roadblocks set for safety, Levain joins numerous residents of Paris considering a retreat to the southern regions of France during the Olympic Games. However, she is concerned about the state of the city awaiting her upon her comeback. "The Olympics serve as a pretext," she states. "The authorities, businesses, and law enforcement are already looking ahead to what comes next."

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