Renderos et al v Clearview et al (Facial Recognition Surveillance)

16 Sep

We filed this lawsuit against the facial recognition company, Clearview AI, and local law enforcement over their unlawful surveillance activities in California. It alleges that Clearview AI’s surveillance technology violates privacy rights and facilitates government monitoring of protesters, immigrants, and communities of color. Plaintiffs argue that Clearview’s facial recognition tool—which allows instantaneous identification and tracking of people targeted by law enforcement—chills political speech and other protected activities.

The lawsuit was filed in the Alameda County Superior Court on behalf of Mijente, NorCal Resist, and four individual plaintiffs who allege that Clearview AI violated their rights under the California constitution, California’s consumer protection and privacy laws, and California common law. The plaintiffs also sued four California law enforcement agencies who they claim aid and abet Clearview’s illegal practices.

The plaintiffs are activists who have participated in various political movements critical of the police and ICE. They have supported Black Lives Matter, criticized ICE and the police on online platforms, and organized fundraisers for immigrants confined in detention facilities. All of these activities open them up to retaliation by ICE and the police. Just Futures Law and BraunHagey & Borden LLP represent the plaintiffs.

Update 11/18/22: The Alameda Superior Court denied Clearview AI’s demurrer (motion to dismiss) and its anti-SLAPP motion.