Face recognition in the US is about to meet one of its biggest tests

However, in Massachusetts there is hope for those who want to restrict police access to face recognition. The state's lawmakers are currently thrashing out a bipartisan state bill that seeks to limit police use of the technology. Although it's not a full ban, it would mean that only state police could use it, not all law enforcement agencies. The bill, which could come to a vote imminently, may represent an unsatisfying compromise, both to police who want more freedom to use the technology and to activists who want it completely banned. But it represents a vital test of the prevailing mood around police use of these controversial tools. That's because when it comes to regulating face recognition, few states are as important as Massachusetts.