Fact Check: Hungary plans to use facial recognition to identify Pride attendees.

Fact Check: Hungary Plans to Use Facial Recognition to Identify Pride Attendees

What We Know

In Hungary, recent legislation has been enacted that allows authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify participants at events deemed to promote homosexuality, including Pride parades. This law is part of a broader set of restrictions that the government has implemented under the guise of "child protection" (source-1). The legislation specifically targets gatherings that display what the government considers "divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth" (source-1).

During the Budapest Pride parade, which took place despite government warnings and legal threats, police reiterated that attendees could face fines of up to €500 for participating in the event (source-2). The use of facial recognition technology was highlighted as a means to enforce these penalties, with concerns raised by organizers regarding potential repercussions for participants after the event (source-2).

Analysis

The claim that Hungary plans to use facial recognition to identify Pride attendees is substantiated by multiple credible sources. For instance, a report from The Guardian details how Hungarian MPs voted to ban Pride events while simultaneously approving the use of facial recognition software to target attendees. This aligns with the government's ongoing efforts to suppress LGBTQ+ rights, which have drawn significant criticism from both domestic and international observers (source-6).

Further corroboration comes from NBC News, which notes that the law enables authorities to surveil Pride events using facial recognition tools, marking a significant shift in how technology is employed to monitor and control public gatherings. Additionally, Liberties.eu emphasizes the implications of such surveillance practices for civil liberties, particularly in the context of dissent against government policies.

While the Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has framed these measures as protective, many view them as a direct attack on LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms. The opposition, including Budapest's liberal mayor Gergely Karacsony, has openly defied these restrictions, labeling the Pride event as an official municipal gathering to protect participants from potential reprisals (source-1).

Conclusion

The claim that Hungary plans to use facial recognition technology to identify Pride attendees is True. The evidence from various reputable sources confirms that recent laws have been enacted allowing for such surveillance, specifically targeting LGBTQ+ events. This reflects a broader trend of increasing repression against LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary, as the government seeks to control public expression and dissent.

Fact Check: Hungary plans to use facial recognition to identify Pride attendees.