Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan Monday requested information about Border Patrol’s use of Clearview AI facial recognition technology in Vermont.

Clearview AI aims to support law enforcement and government agencies solve crimes “by revealing leads, insights, and relationships.” According to Clearview AI, its web-based intelligence platform “includes the largest known database of 10+ billion facial images sourced from public-only web sources, including news media, mugshot websites, public social media, and other open sources.”

Donovan requested the information in a letter sent to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Attorney General’s Office seeks to understand how the facial network will affect citizens’ rights to privacy and liberty. As such, the letter requests information regarding Clearview AI use at the Vermont-Canada border and in the state.

In March of 2020, Donovan filed suit against Clearview AI, alleging that the technology company violated Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act and Data Broker law. Donovan stated, “I am disturbed by this practice, particularly the practice of collecting and selling children’s facial recognition data.” He added: “This practice is unscrupulous, unethical, and contrary to public policy. I will continue to fight for the privacy of Vermonters, particularly our most vulnerable.”

Clearview AI’s data collection methods come under scrutiny before. Last month, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) imposed a penalty exceeding £17 million on Clearview AI for breaching data protection laws. The ICO conducted an investigation and reported that Clearview AI failed to comply with UK data protection laws by not processing or collecting data in a fair and lawful manner.

Similarly, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and Privacy Commissioner
found that Clearview AI breached Australian privacy laws by failing to take reasonable steps to verify that it disclosed accurate personal information. Consequently, an Australian regulator ordered the technology company to stop collecting images and destroy previously collected data.