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No. 33: Bringing you the news that matters in video privacy and security
A note from our Editor
Hi all,
Pimloc has successfully managed to secure a $7.5M seed round to support our efforts to continue to develop privacy-focused visual AI systems. A huge thank you to Zetta Ventures, and our existing investors Amadeus and Speedinvest who also participated. Open roles can be found here.
In UK news, Edinburgh council has secured funds to create a new central CCTV control centre as part of their smart city operation. Due to be ready by September 2022, it will provide a central unit to manage a range of high definition CCTV cameras, expanded security coverage and advances AI analytics to help with the prediction and monitoring of threats.
In the EU, lawmakers are looking to adapt a similar regulation position as Apple for in app tracking. They are looking to mandate that consumers are given an option to "opt out" of all major online platforms tracking. Could this be a major step towards giving consumers back their online privacy?
On the global landscape, data privacy legislation is spreading far and wide: it is estimated that by 2023, over 65% of the world's population will have their data protected by some form of privacy legislation. See our state of nations report.
As always, please let me know if you have any feedback on this newsletter or want to see any other topics covered.
Emma
News
Pimloc raises $7.5M for AI-for-privacy tools for video
Surveillance video installations are increasing, as is the sophistication of visual AI and the ways in which this data is used. We have raised a seed round of $7.5M led by Zetta Venture Partners (existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners and Speedinvest also participated).
Computing: UK privacy startup Pimloc redacts faces from video and images
Tech Crunch: Pimloc grabs $7.5M to pitch more businesses on AI-for-privacy video tools
MoD reports 7 data incidents to the ICO
The UK Ministry of Defence formerly reported 7 data incidents to the ICO between 2020 and 2021. The most serious case involved an email account associated with MoD Schools being compromised for a 72-hour period.
IT Pro: MoD reported seven data incidents to the ICO between 2020 and 2021
Edinburgh has a new CCTV control centre to improve security
Edinburgh city council has secured an investment to build and manage a new CCTV control centre, forming part of the council’s vision to create a smart city operation facility.
Smart Cities World: Edinburgh creates new CCTV control centre to improve security
Asda trials digital self-ID at checkouts
Asda will be the first supermarket to trial automated age-verification at self-checkouts, to help speed up customer experience. The initiative is part of a Home Office test to allow the trial of technologies that can assist in the requirement for age verification in the retail sale of alcohol.
BBC News: Supermarket cameras to guess age of alcohol buyers
City AM: Asda becomes first supermarket to trial self-checkout automated age verification
Raconteur: Why retailers must balance personalisation and privacy
Yahoo Japan can't afford regulation costs, so they are bowing out of Europe
Yahoo Japan has announced that it will no longer be available in Europe from April onwards. Even though they are looking to expand globally, it seems that the cost of complying with GDPR regulations is too high.
AI Snippet of the Week
China sets the pace for AI use in healthcare
AI adoption is growing across China - they has been quick to deploy a range of new technologies to relieve the burden on hospitals, care systems and families caring for the sick and elderly.
Financial Times: China sets the pace in adoption of AI in healthcare technology
Policy Updates
EU lawmakers looking to adopt Apple privacy strategies
Lawmakers want all websites to use a similar “Ask App Not to Track” function, but Apple's system might not be as clear-cut as once believed.
WIRED: The EU Has a Plan to Fix Internet Privacy: Be More Like Apple
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