Creative Commons

This dissertation was written as part of the LLM in Transnational and European Commercial Law, Banking Law, Arbitration/Mediation at the International Hellenic University. Facial recognition technology (FRT) is a form of biometric application that uses datasets to detect people's faces and then uses algorithmic predictions to assess those people. This artificial intelligence technology, which attracted the public sector too, especially law enforcement,seems to be fascinating and powerful but simultaneously frightening, as it is still unproven and biased, which means that can make mistakes. Facial recognition technology poses an increased risk to human rights and individual liberties, as it is obvious that this technology can be employed in public settings without citizens' consent. There are rules in Europe's legal system that apply directly or indirectly to face recognition technology and are used by police to identify people. However, due to the fact that these regulations originate from diverse sources and are intended to achieve different objectives, they produce an ambiguous legal environment that may impede the lawful application of this technology in criminal investigations. The primary objective of this dissertation is to examine the potential advantages and disadvantages of facial recognition technology, with a specific focus on its implications for citizen rights. Additionally, it seeks to determine whether and how FRT can assist authorities in enhancing protection for EU citizens in the fight against serious crimes, and whether the existing legal framework pertaining to the use of FRT is adequate and well-defined, considering the rapid evolution of this technology.