The Constitutional Council censures the extension of the system – Liberation

The Constitutional Council censored, Thursday, April 24, certain provisions of the law on transport in transport, adopted last month. Among them, that, controversial, aimed at prolonging the experimentation of algorithmic video surveillance (VSA) in public space and that aimed at « Allowing the constraint by private agents ». Several LFI deputies, environmentalists and socialists had seized the council at the end of March, in the wake of the adoption of this law, to whom they reproached accused of making « Place serious threats » on the« PTRO of law ».

Established on an experimental basis, especially as part of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Algorithmic video surveillancemobilizes artificial intelligence systems to analyze video surveillance images in order to identify suspicious behavior. Article 15 of the law relating to the strengthening of safety in transport, actually active the extension of this experiment until 2027, two years later that the end initially scheduled for March 2025.

This experiment had raised criticism from several associations denouncing both the lack of transparency and the risks of damage to public freedoms. The deputies at the origin of the referral considered this article as « legislative rider », that is to say having no relation to the initial law. An argument heard by the Constitutional Council who estimated, in his decisionthat « These measures (…) did not present «  of link, « Even indirect, with any other of the provisions which appeared in the bill tabled on the Senate office ».

In addition, the law provided that the SNCF and RATP security forces could « Constining » Anyone disturbing in particular « Public order » has « to leave » Stations, stations or vehicles. « By recognizing such a prerogative to these agents, while a constraint measurement, by nature, is the sole jurisdiction of the police authorities », These provisions are contrary to the Constitution, judged the Constitutional Council. If these agents can actually « Refuse access » to these places, they cannot exercise « A constraint on the person who refuses to comply »he detailed

This decision of the Constitutional Council is a setback for the government, very favorable to the employment of security technologies. It is also the current Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, who was at the origin of this bill when he was senator

Much awaited by professionals, the text also included the sustainability of the port of Pétons -Pituns by the controllers, as well as the possibility for the security forces – rail asset for SNCF, and GPSR for the RATP – to carry out palpations without the need for the green light of the prefects, or even to intervene near the stations. This time provisions validated by the Constitutional Council.