San Francisco May be the First to Ban Facial Recognition -- Security Today

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

Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial Intelligence
Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now
- Facility Security
Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies: Uniting Human Risk Management and Security Awareness Training

Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Report: 1 in 3 Easily Exploitable Vulnerabilities Found on Cloud Assets

CyCognito recently released new research highlighting critical security vulnerabilities across cloud-hosted assets, revealing that one in three easily exploitable vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are found on cloud assets. As organizations increasingly shift to multi-cloud strategies, the findings underscore significant security gaps that could provide attackers with potential footholds into networks. Read Now
- Cybersecurity

Security Today eNews

Sign up today for essential industry news and product information that can help you stay afloat in the fast-paced world of security.

Email Address*Country*

Please type the letters/numbers you see above.

Webinars

Whitepapers

New Products

AC Nio

Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.
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.
ResponderLink

Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.