Paris launches new digital reporting tool

Paris and the Var police prefectures have introduced a new digital platform to help citizens report incidents by submitting video files. The service is available through demarche.numerique.gouv.fr, allowing users to upload videos up to 200 megabytes in size. This tool is aimed at merchants and others affected by recent events, offering a way to provide evidence to investigators.

Authentication required for submissions

To ensure the traceability of submissions, users must authenticate through FranceConnect or create a dedicated account. This process helps authorities track the source of each video and maintain a clear record of all evidence provided through the platform.

Legal framework for video use

The use of submitted video streams is strictly governed by French law. Real-time biometric surveillance in public spaces is banned, but investigators can use automated systems to compare images with existing databases like the Taj file, which contains around 8 million photos. This is only allowed in cases where a person is already under suspicion.

Processing the video evidence

Around 200 police officers are currently working to extract and filter the submitted content. These videos are part of a broader chain of evidence, which can be cross-checked with surveillance footage from public transport and phone location data stored by operators for up to 12 months.

Technical and legal constraints on data use

Despite these efforts, the use of collected data faces both technical and legal challenges. The Internal Security Code limits the storage of surveillance video to 30 days, and many recorders automatically delete footage after just a few days due to storage limits. For evidence to be valid, it must be a continuous video sequence with precise timestamps, without any cuts or gaps.