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Iran's Secret Facial Recognition Deal Sparks Privacy Concerns

3/5/2026

Summary

Story summary

Forbidden Stories reports that the Iranian regime secretly acquired FindFace, a facial recognition system from Russian company NTechLab, in 2019.
Investigative journalist Alexander Abdelilah discusses the system's technical and political implications.
FindFace enables authorities to analyze footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV), street recordings, and social media, allowing them to identify and track individuals involved in protests.
This development raises concerns about privacy and civil liberties in Western democracies.

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Story summary

Forbidden Stories reports that the Iranian regime secretly acquired FindFace, a facial recognition system from Russian company NTechLab, in 2019.
Investigative journalist Alexander Abdelilah discusses the system's technical and political implications.
FindFace enables authorities to analyze footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV), street recordings, and social media, allowing them to identify and track individuals involved in protests.
This development raises concerns about privacy and civil liberties in Western democracies.