France Bans Police Camera Drones Used to Enforce Lockdown

  • Privacy watchdog says the drones were used unlawfully
  • Victory for activists alarmed by the rise of surveillance tech
A French Police officer pilots a drone to monitor the street in Paris, in March.

Photographer: Christophe Ena/AP Photo

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France’s top privacy watchdog has told police to stop using drone-mounted cameras to enforce virus lockdowns, monitor protests, stake out drug deals and chase carjackers.

The regulator CNIL looked at how law enforcement was using the drones to check if people were obeying lockdown rules and tested how it collected data including people’s identities.