Belgian Soldiers to Hide Faces From AI on National Parade

Algemeen Dagblad

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The Belgian army has imposed a very unusual measure on its soldiers. They must cover their faces during the national holiday parade broadcast on television next Monday. The Belgians fear that sophisticated software can now identify soldiers, but the Netherlands considers this step too far for now.

La Libre

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This "buff" will have to be worn in order not to be identified, said the Minister of Defence, Theo Francken (N-VA). "The military find it abnormal to be obliged to buy, at their own expense, the equipment provided by the Defense," says Boris Morenville, of the SLFP Defense. ...

vrt

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Soldiers participating in the national parade on July 21st will be required to cover their faces with a "buff," a tight scarf that covers the lower part of the face. According to Defense Minister Theo Francken (N-VA), this measure will apply to all military personnel participating in operations abroad, such as on NATO's eastern flank. He says it's a measure to protect soldiers in this age of AI and supercomputers.

RTL Info

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Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - 19:36 "We are too naive": the faces of the soldiers will be masked at the parade of 21 July, here's why By RTL info with Benoit Duthoo and Steve Damman This year, most of the soldiers who will take part in the parade of 21 July will have to be masked. A special security measure reserved so far for elite units and which the Minister of Defence wanted to generalize for a very specific reason. Reading Zen You will not see t…