GettySan Francisco, considered by many to be the Mecca of technology, is the first US city to prevent the police and other authorities from using facial recognition technology, in what is an important step against the seemingly unstoppable roll out of this technology. The city’s Board of Supervisors has concluded that the generalized assumption that people are being monitored is not psychologically healthy, and that, in addition, this technology is still too unreliable to be used for security purposes. San Francisco’s decision is just a first step, bearing in mind it doesn’t prevent private companies from continuing to use facial recognition technology, but is not surprising considering that the city is home to a large number of technology companies, making it the best prepared environment to understand its impact. The widespread use of facial recognition is a moral dilemma for technology companies, which on the whole, despite opposition from their workforces, have been happy to sell their services to the highest bidder. Until, as societies, we hold a discussion on the use of facial recognition and other kinds of surveillance technology so as to avoid moving inexorably toward a police state, San Francisco’s decision seems prudent and appropriate and should serve as an example for many other cities or countries contemplating its use.

Source: Forbes May 16, 2019 11:37 UTC