ILITA makes headlines again. On December 6th 2011, During a session of the Israeli parliament ('Knesset') science committee, that was dedicated to mark the international human rights day, the Law Information and Technology Authority announced new proposed guidelines on the use and deployment of surveillance cameras.
In their press release, ILITA describes the need for the guidelines, following a substantial increase in private initiatives to deploy surveillance cameras, including in sensitive areas such as schools, as well as the vast use of cameras by 80 local municipalities as part of the governmental "City without violence" project.
ILITA further explains that surveillance cameras have significant influence over the public sphere, due to availability of advanced images retrieval, analysis and indexing capabilities.
The proposed guidelines require following the basic principles of information privacy when using surveillance cameras. Inter-alia, they require a methodical process of decision making about the actual need to deploy cameras, and the way the cameras will be deployed, while taking into consideration the need to mitigate privacy violations (e.g., by reducing the number of cameras and the areas covered by the cameras to minimum).
ILITA further suggests that the use of the images will be restricted to the original purpose for deploying the cameras and that extra caution should be taken when using cameras in sensitive places, especially where the cameras cover children's activities. The proposed guidelines require also to raise public awareness to the cameras through appropriate signs and to use information security measures to prevent data breaches and unlawful use of the images.
Both private and public entities will be covered by the guidelines and failure to adhere to the guidelines after their final version is released may result in monetary sanctions and criminal charges.
ILITA seeks the public position on the proposed guidelines, until December 29th, this year.
A copy of the guideline (in Hebrew) is available on ILITA's website.
A copy of the guideline (in Hebrew) is available on ILITA's website.
For further details contact Dan Or-Hof, CIPP, at Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer.