SF Bans Police From Using Facial Recognition Tech

Wired reports:

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to ban the use of facial recognition by city agencies, a first-of-its-kind measure that has inspired similar efforts elsewhere.

San Francisco’s ban covers government agencies, including the city police and county sheriff’s department, but doesn’t affect the technology that unlocks your iPhone or cameras installed by businesses or individuals.

It’s part of a broader package of rules, introduced in January by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, that will require agencies to gain approval from the board before purchasing surveillance tech and publicly disclose its intended use.