UK and Australian data authorities to investigate facial recognition firm

The authorities will review how the company handles personal information, with a focus on its use of ‘scraped’ data and biometrics of individuals.

The Clearview tool searches the internet for publicly available photographs and uses facial recognition to identify potential suspects.

The ICO said in a statement: "The investigation highlights the importance of enforcement cooperation in protecting the personal information of Australian and UK citizens in a globalised data environment."

Clearview did not respond immediately to a request for comment.