Examining The San Francisco Facial-Recognition Ban

On May 14, 2019, the San Francisco government became the first major city in the United States to ban the use of facial-recognition technology (paywall) by the government and law enforcement agencies. This ban comes as a part of a broader anti-surveillance ordinance. As of May 14, the ordinance was set to go into effect in about a month. Local officials and civil advocates seem to fear the repercussions of allowing facial-recognition technology to proliferate throughout San Francisco, while supporters of the software claim that the ban could limit technological progress. In this article, I'll examine the ban that just took place in San Francisco, explore the concerns surrounding facial recognition technology, and explain why an outright ban may not be the best course of action. Law enforcement agencies have used facial-recognition technology for some time now.