AIA-2026-0001PrivacyVerified

Police ran secret Clearview AI facial-recognition trial without authorisation

New Zealand Police trialled facial-recognition software from US firm Clearview AI for two months in 2020, running roughly 180 searches, without briefing the Police Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, or Cabinet. Police discontinued the trial after finding the tool ineffective on New Zealand faces.

Severity 4 of 5: Serious. Rated "Systemic" on the AI Safety Aotearoa tracker. How we rate severity

Date it happened: 12 May 2020
Added to the register: 12 May 2020
Region: Online or nationwide
Type of AI involved: Facial recognition
Kind of harm: Privacy breach
Last updated: 29 October 2026

What happened

Sources

Police trialled facial recognition tech without clearance
RNZ, 12 May 2020

Change history

29 Oct 2026 Moved from the AI Safety Aotearoa incident tracker.

Cite this entry

AI Incidents Aotearoa. (2020). Police ran secret Clearview AI facial-recognition trial without authorisation (AIA-2026-0001). AI Safety Aotearoa. Retrieved 29 October 2026, from https://aiincidents.nz/register/police-ran-secret-clearview-ai-facial-recognition-trial-without-authorisation/

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