Australian-founded facial recognition firm Clearview AI is facing potential fines of £17m for mishandling the personal data of UK citizens.

The firm, which claims to have a database of more than 10 billion facial images, has triggered “significant concerns” by the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK, who have ordered them to delete all UK personal data it has.

Clearview said the regulator’s orders were “factually and legally incorrect”.

The company has already ran afoul of Australian privacy laws in the same manner.

Clearview’s AI is used by police, and provides a searchable database of the aforementioned ten billion faces, which can be matched with an uploaded photo. Needless to say it is problematic.

The ICO said the firm is likely to use data gathered with the knowledge of “a substantial number of people from the UK”.

“I have significant concerns that personal data was processed in a way that nobody in the UK will have expected,” The UK Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, said:

“UK data protection legislation does not stop the effective use of technology to fight crime. But to enjoy public trust and confidence in their products, technology providers must ensure people’s legal protections are respected and complied with.”

Hoan Ton-That, CEO of Clearview AI (pictured above), said: “I am deeply disappointed that the UK Information Commissioner has misinterpreted my technology and intentions.

“My company and I have acted in the best interests of the UK and their people by assisting law enforcement in solving heinous crimes against children, seniors, and other victims of unscrupulous acts.

“We collect only public data from the open internet and comply with all standards of privacy and law.”