At the state level, efforts to regulate facial recognition in Washington crumbled after Microsoft and Amazon, among others, opposed a proposed moratorium in favor of a bill with a lighter regulatory touch. In Massachusetts, which is considering an ACLU-backed moratorium on facial recognition until the state can develop regulations including things like minimum accuracy and bias protections, local police departments frequently partner with the state\u2019s Registry of Motor Vehicles to identify suspects.<\/p>\n
Kade Crockford of the ACLU of Massachusetts, which is working with Somerville officials on a proposal that would forbid such data-sharing, is optimistic about the potential for cities to lead the way. \u201cI\u2019m not aware of any other example of people really successfully intervening in this very fast-moving train of tech determinism and throwing a democratic wrench in the gears,\u201d Crockford says.<\/p>\n
San Francisco\u2019s ban comes amidst a series of proposals that highlight tensions between the city and tech companies that call it home. On Tuesday, the city also unanimously approved a ban on cashless stores, an effort aimed at Amazon\u2019s cashierless Go stores. Waiting in the wings? A so-called \u201cIPO tax,\u201d in response to the endless march of tech companies going public, which would authorize a city-wide vote to raise the tax rate on corporate stock-based compensation.<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a first, San Francisco just banned public agencies, including police, from using facial recognition technology https:\/\/t.co\/amMtqu96Rt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Gregory Barber (@GregoryJBarber) May 14, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n