Argentina's Surveillance State Expands Under Javier Milei's Administration
Amnesty International reports that Argentina's government has expanded its surveillance capabilities, creating a chilling effect on rights to privacy and freedom of expression.
The use of surveillance technologies in Argentina has expanded significantly during the first two years of Javier Milei's administration. According to a new report by Amnesty International, the government has implemented institutional reforms and acquired technologies worth at least US$1.2 million to expand its intelligence capabilities and surveillance mechanisms.
The report, *Sensing the Surveillance State*, documents how the government has implemented executive decrees and resolutions to expand its surveillance capabilities. It also highlights the acquisition of social media monitoring tools, facial recognition software, and aerial surveillance tools. These technologies have become an integral part of the infrastructure of state control, targeting dissent, deterring protest movements, and harassing marginalized groups.
Paola Garcia Ray, Deputy Director of Amnesty International Argentina, stated that pervasive surveillance is being used against Argentinians in both physical and digital spaces, to devastating effect. She added that these technologies have become an integral part of the infrastructure of state control, targeting dissent, deterring protest movements, and harassing marginalized groups.
The report is based on interviews with 21 people, including journalists, activists, pensioners, young people, and human rights defenders. It also includes analysis of procurement documents and data related to acquired surveillance technologies, as well as information obtained through freedom of information requests.
### An Expanding Surveillance Infrastructure
The Argentinian government has procured various surveillance technologies, including open-source intelligence platforms designed for the collection, cross-checking, and visualization of large volumes of data from social media, websites, the dark web, personal data, technical infrastructure, and other public databases.
| Technology | Description | | --- | --- | | Open-source intelligence platforms | Designed for the collection, cross-checking, and visualization of large volumes of data from social media, websites, the dark web, personal data, technical infrastructure, and other public databases | | Facial recognition software | Licenses acquired from companies with a track record of mass exploitation of biometric data without sufficient legal grounds | | Drones and ground control stations | Automated tracking capabilities, thermal cameras, and real-time transmission of images |
The report highlights the direct impact of such surveillance capabilities on various groups, including journalists, activists, and migrants. It found that some were self-censoring on social media and in public spaces, reducing participation in protests for fear of being identified and targeted, and taking more cautious measures in the planning of public activities.
### A Global Wave of Techno-Authoritarianism
Amnesty International has documented abuse and misuse of such technologies globally. The Argentinian authorities' procurement and expanded scope of AI-driven surveillance reflect a global trend where the state's use of such products incentivizes companies to run businesses that commercialize wide-scale surveillance.
Matt Mahmoudi, Researcher and Advisor at Amnesty International, stated that what is happening in Argentina is not unique. Around the world, states engaged in authoritarian practices are ramping up their use of surveillance technologies against human rights defenders, young people, migrants, marginalized and displaced groups, and dissidents.
Amnesty International is calling on the Argentinian authorities to ban the development, production, sale, and use of remote biometric recognition technologies for mass and targeted discriminatory surveillance. They are also urging the authorities to establish appropriate regulatory measures for the procurement, development, production, sale, import, and export of surveillance technologies, and specific public policy frameworks for their use.
The organization is emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in the use of surveillance technologies. Matt Mahmoudi stated that Argentina must demonstrate its commitment to human rights by ensuring that the use of AI-driven surveillance does not go unchecked and those responsible for human rights abuses perpetuated because of these systems must be held accountable.
