Italy outlaws facial recognition tech, except to fight crime

FILE PHOTO: Cameras are set up outside Montecitorio Palace, the lower house of Parliament, as the voting to elect the country's new President continues, in Rome, Italy January 28, 2022. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy prohibited the use of facial recognition and 'smart glasses' on Monday as its Data Protection Agency issued a rebuke to two municipalities experimenting with the technologies.

Facial recognition systems using biometric data will not be allowed until a specific law is adopted or at least until the end of next year, the privacy watchdog said.