Image and video anonymization according to GDPR requirements

Anonymized and good-looking pictures

By default, it is only possible to detect a rectangle that surrounds an object. However, our technology allows to precisely adjust the blending area to the shape of the object. This allows to achieve a more aesthetic appearance and maintain the original image where it is necessary, without losing effective anonymization.

Anonymazing technology

The area of the detected object is blurred. The pixel values from the environment are used to achieve an aesthetic appearance while maintaining the effectiveness of anonymization. This is an irreversible operation, which means that the anonymized image cannot be transformed to get the original.

We provide a high level of protection against external access:

1. When using the cloud, secure data transfer is ensured. Once anonymization is completed, data is deleted by us.
2. In case of transferring physical disks it is possible to encrypt them. After encrypting the disk, unauthorized persons are not able to read the data contained therein. The data on the disk is not copied or stored by us.

Thanks to automation the number of people having access to the data is limited to a minimum.

During manual anonymization, each picture must be displayed by the employee responsible for it. Often in such cases the data is also sent to other countries and access is not so well controlled.

Detecting objects to anonymize

To detect objects (people, vehicles, etc.) we use deeply learned neural networks created specifically for this task.

The use of the most advanced graphic cards allows us to uncompromisingly provide the highest quality while maintaining high performance of our solution.

General Data Protection Regulation

The face and body are the most basic and most visible elements of our identity. As such, they fall within the definition of personally identifiable information contained in the GDPR (“General Data Protection Regulation”).

According to Art. 4 GDPR ‘personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;

Personal data, in this case biometric data, is the image (face, body). The image is a legally protected good, as are vehicle license plates, house numbers, and anything by which a person can be identified.

Where an image or video is used or published for commercial purposes, the Regulation requires the data processor (e.g. a company, a road authority, a private person, anyone who comes into possession of such material and intends to process it – share or store it) to request consent from the data subject, i.e. the person whose image appears in the image or video. The consent expresses the voluntary authorization (in a written form) to process the requested data. Unfortunately, in the case of large image data sets, obtaining consent from each person in the data set will be time-consuming and costly due to the hundreds of thousands or even millions of people in the data set. This is when anonymization occurs, making the data subject no longer identifiable and their interests protected.

Practical example

In practice, if, for example, during lane photo-registration, i.e. during the collection of data as part of a road diagnostic campaign, the measurement vehicle has captured an image of a person, this should be treated as sensitive data by which a person can be identified. This data needs to be anonymized. Here, the obligation to anonymize falls on the road manager who organizes the diagnostic campaign and becomes the controller of the personal data. Since he is unable to obtain consent for processing from all individuals, random passersby, drivers, he should anonymize the photos to safeguard the private interests of the individuals visible in the material.

According to Recital 26 (GDPR) Not Applicable to Anonymous Data – anonymized data is no longer covered by the Regulation because it is no longer considered “personal data” as a result of the anonymization process applied:

“The principles of data protection should therefore not apply to anonymous information, namely information which does not relate to an identified or identifiable natural person or to personal data rendered anonymous in such a manner that the data subject is not or no longer identifiable”

For your safety and your customers

The legal basis for the road manager to process personal data is an Article 6(1)(e) of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which indicates that “processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller”.

The basis for the disclosure of personal data by the Administrator can be a concluded contract or an obligation, which has its source in the provisions of the applicable law. The mentioned provision of personal data can be realized both in the procedure of access to data (Article 15 (1) GDPR) and obtaining a copy of data Article 15 (3) GDPR).

Related articles:

Article 6 GDPR – Lawfulness of processing – indicates in what situations personal data may be processed.

Article 9 GDPR – Processing of special categories of personal data – points to the legal protection of a person’s image.

Article 15 GDPR – Right of access by the data subject.

Article 15 (1) GDPR – Data subject’s right of access.

Article 15 (3) GDPR – Obtaining a copy of the data.

Depends on the objects

We are ready to adapt our solution to your needs. Please, contact us through the form or write an e-mail: contact@anonymazing.com

Automation allows very fast anonymization

Processing a thousand images takes only a few minutes. The length of the whole process depends primarily on the number of images and the number of orders.

Data transfer

1. Using a physical storage (hard drive, USB stick), preferred especially for larger amounts of data.
2. Using a link received from us with a place in the cloud where photos or video should be uploaded (for data not larger than 100 GB).
3. By sending us a link to download the data.

Video sample

We are testing for free a package of photos or videos whose size does not exceed 50 MB. If your video is heavier than that, send us an excerpt of the video or contact us for testing details.

Video pricing

The basis for video pricing is the number of frames, i.e. video length[s] * fps. Contact us using the form by entering the number of frames to find out the price of anonymizing a video file.