Against the backdrop of a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment and rising authoritarianism, national security risks are becoming a convenient cover for unchecked surveillance and executive authority. This dynamic is setting a dangerous precedent. EU governments and candidate countries are invoking national security to justify AI deployment in ways that evade regulatory scrutiny, particularly in surveillance and counterterrorism.
In a recent blog, Ashwin Prabu and ECNL's Marlena Wisniak share case studies from France, Hungary, Serbia and Spain, examining AI-driven surveillance and security programs that governments justify under national security exemptions,and offer recommendations for civil society to drive more accountability and oversight.
Read more in the blog on Tech Policy Press!