Under the guise of combating crime, Sao Paulo has deployed what is touted as the world’s most extensive facial recognition network, operated by municipal authorities. Nations like India, China, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom have adopted comparable technologies under ambiguous legal justifications. Yet no jurisdiction has implemented surveillance at such a magnitude as Sao Paulo, positioning it as the globe’s preeminent “Big Brother.” The artificial intelligence platform, dubbed Smart Sampa, currently faces intensified criticism following accusations of systemic racial discrimination. Investigated by Marine Resse, Fanny Lothaire, and Mélanie Blondeau, the system’s algorithmic disparities have sparked public outcry and demands for transparency.