The Minneapolis Police Department bans the use of facial recognition software

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Minneapolis on Friday voted to ban the use of the police department’s facial recognition software, increasing the list of major cities that have implemented local restrictions on the controversial technology. After the decree on the ban was passed earlier this week, 13 members of the city council They voted for the ban without opposition.

The new ban would prevent the Minneapolis Police Department from using any facial recognition technology, including Clearview AI. This company sells access to a large database of face photos, many of which are taken from major social networks, to Federal law enforcement agenciesAnd private companies and various police departments in the United States. I know You know that th The Minneapolis Police Department has a relationship with Clearview AI, as does the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, which the new ban will not constrain.

The vote is a landmark decision in the city that sparked nationwide racist justice protests after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last year. The city has been in the midst of police reform since then, and led the country by pledging to withdraw money from the city police department in June before rolling back that pledge. And a more gradual reform.

Banning the use of facial recognition is a specific measure that can reduce emerging concerns about aggressive policing. Many privacy advocates worry that AI facial recognition systems not only target disproportionately colored communities, but the technology has been shown to have technical flaws in recognizing non-white faces.

Cities across the country are increasingly looking to ban controversial technology and have imposed restrictions in a number of different ways. In Portland, Oregon, New laws were passed last year They are banning city offices from using facial recognition, but they are also preventing private companies from spreading the technology in public places. Previous legislation in San FranciscoAnd the Auckland s Boston City governments have restricted the use of facial recognition systems, although they have not included a similar provision for private companies.

(taken from Technology crisis)