Thomas de Maiziere aims to introduce a facial recognition software at train stations and airports in Germany

Thomas de Maiziere, Germany’s Interior Minister, aims to introduce a facial recognition software at train stations and airports in order to support the identification of terror suspects. This suggestion was prompted by two Islamist attacks in Germany last month.

Due to the fact that internet software is able to determine whether individuals shown in photographs were celebrities or politicians Thomas de Maiziere commented that “I would like to use this kind of facial recognition technology in video cameras at airports and train stations. Then, if a suspect appears and is recognized, it will show up in the system”. He went on by explaining that such a system is already being tested in terms of the identification of unattended luggage, so that the camera reports the respective luggage to an authority after a certain number of minutes.

However, although other countries are also testing a similiar technology, Germany has been sceptical and has shown caution in terms of the introduction of surveillance due to historical events such as the abuses by the Stasi secret police in East Germany and the Gestapo under the Nazis.