San Francisco May be the First to Ban Facial Recognition

San Francisco May be the First to Ban Facial Recognition

The use of facial recognition by police might cease to exist in San Francisco if adopts a ban on the technology.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • May 14, 2019

Implementations of facial recognition are beginning to pop up no matter where you turn. Police departments, city agencies, vehicle departments, stores, stadiums and home security cameras are taking advantage of the technology in an effort to more efficiently scan databases, catch criminals, identify missing children and more. Some cities, however, are not interested in this evolving technology.

San Francisco is officially on track to become the first U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition by police and other agencies, as reported by Time. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the city's proposed face-recognition ban on Tuesday.

If the legislation is part of a broader bill aimed at regulating the use of surveillance by city departments, but the ban, if approved, would only apply to San Francisco government agencies. It would not affect companies or people who want to use the technology. It would also not affect the use of facial recognition at the San Francisco International Airport, where security is mostly overseen by federal agencies.

The San Francisco police say they have stopped testing facial recognition and haven't use the technology since 2017. Spokesman David Stevenson said in a statement that the department looks forward to "developing legislation that addresses the privacy concerns of technology while balancing the public safety concerns of our growing, international city."

There are several other proposals to limit facial recognition in the state of California, such as a California Legislature proposal prohibiting the use of facial ID technology on body cameras. The bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate would exempt police applications but set limits on businesses analyzing people's faces without their consent.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • TSA Intercepts 6,678 Firearms at Airport Security Checkpoints in 2024

    During 2024, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport and onboard aircraft. Approximately 94% of these firearms were loaded. This total is a minor decrease from the 6,737 firearms stopped in 2023. Throughout 2024, TSA managed its “Prepare, Pack, Declare” public awareness campaign to explain the steps for safely traveling with a firearm. Read Now

  • 2024 Gun Violence Report: Fewer Overall Incidents, but School Deaths and Injuries Are on the Rise

    Omnilert, provider of gun detection technology, today released its compilation of Gun Violence Statistics for 2024 summarizing gun violence tragedies and their adverse effects on Americans and the economy. While research showed a decrease in overall deaths and injuries, the rising number of school shootings and fatalities and high number of mass shootings underscored the need to keep more people safe in schools as well as places of worship, healthcare, government, retail and commerce, finance and banking, hospitality and other public places. Read Now

  • Survey: Only 7 Percent of Business Leaders Using AI in Physical Security

    A new survey from Pro-Vigil looks at video surveillance trends, how AI is impacting physical security, and more. Read Now

  • MetLife Stadium Uses Custom Surveillance Solution from Axis Communications

    Axis Communications, provider of video surveillance and network devices, today announced the implementation of a custom surveillance solution developed in collaboration with the MetLife Stadium security team. This new, tailored solution will help the venue augment its security capabilities, providing high-quality video at unprecedented distances and allowing the security team to identify details from anywhere in the venue. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3