UAE Mass Surveillance Increases as Counter to Coronavirus Pandemic

Apparently calling them efforts to fight Covid-19 pandemic, the United Arab Emirates methodology of practicing precautions has once again raised questions about mass surveillance. As per the experts, UAE surveillance has catalyzed over the years, with the Arab nation home to highest number of cameras in the world.

These so-called security onlookers are placed everywhere from streets to airports and hot tourist destinations. They reportedly record faces and maintain database to track any sign of dissent in the monarchy.

Done under the roof of national security, the UAE law enforcement agencies have also acknowledged the presence of cameras, and possession of material for “proper legal processes,” but without explaining the rules governed for their use.

The UAE’s surveillance and the amplification of technology has been deemed as a robust way to deal with the considered onslaughts, and back in 2010, Dubai used cameras to assassinate the chief of Hamas Mahmoud al-Mabhouh at a Dubai hotel. However, a lot has changed since then, with the hiring of ex-intelligence officials and setting up of projects, used to target journalist and activists among others, in the name of fighting terrorism.

UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ), Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, has especially focused on harboring the surveillance capacities, especially with the help of ex-intelligence officials from the US. The services have been active for over a decade, but the major transition came in 2016, with the Abu-Dhabi firm namely DarkMatter, overtaking the American firm to assume control over all the operations. Since that year, the Dubai police has also partnered with DarkMatter and made use of multiple technologies such as Pegasus “big data” application, to track anyone in the Emirate.

Recently, playing its Covid-19 placard, the Dubai police commenced its new surveillance camera program – run using artificial intelligence – called “Oyoon,” or “Eyes” in Arabic. Originally, the technology was introduced in January 2018 and disguised as a means to “prevent crime, reduce traffic accident related deaths, prevent any negative incidents in residential, commercial and vital areas and to be able to respond immediately to incidents even before they get reported.” Besides, the project also partnered with governments and semi-government entities already having a vast network of surveillance cameras.

However, in May, the Dubai police announced that it would use “Oyoon” system for checking temperatures of those passing by, as well as make sure people maintain a distance of 2 meters from each other.

Apart from it, thermal helmet cameras are used to check the temperatures of the passersby. And the same technology has been used at malls, businesses, airports and even inside disinfection gates, which spray chemicals on people. Ironically, these gates are equipped with thermal cameras capable of recording and uploading data.

So, while the general public remains in view that security has been increased to fight the pandemic, the images obtained using multiple technologies are fed into wider facial recognition database. These are then run using software and erode out the so-called threats to national security. Seemingly, UAE’s mass surveillance has already seen it collecting data using national ID cards, but the latest sequence of events poses threat like no other.