Ally Jarmanning reports:
Boston has banned the use of facial surveillance technology in the city, becoming the second-largest community in the world to do so.
The city council unanimously voted on Wednesday to ban the use of the technology and prohibit any city official from obtaining facial surveillance by asking for it through third parties. The measure will now go to Mayor Marty Walsh with a veto-proof majority. Walsh’s office said he would review the ban.
Read more on WBUR.
h/t, Joe Cadillic
I have some concerns about Boston’s facial recognition ban.
1.) I am highly suspect about BPD using Briefcam to only identify objects. We should send a FOIA to Briefcam asking them for a detailed explanation. Their business model is based on facial/object recognition, I highly doubt you can separate the two.
2.) There was no mention of DHS surveillance cameras on MBTA buses, trains and platforms and banning facial recognition.
3.) There was no mention of Mass General Hospital using Briefcam or any University’s using similar products to identify people.
https://news.milestonesys.com/mass-general-hospital-secures-overview-with-milestone-briefcam-and-axis/
4.) There was no mention of banning Home Depot, Lowes, Macy’s, Kohl’s or Best Buy from using facial recognition.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/2020-02-27-clearview-ai-leak-businesses-facial-recognition.html
https://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2019/09/home-depot-and-lowes-accused-of.html
5.) There was no mention of banning Fenway Park, the TD Garden (NHL/NBA) from using facial recognition.
6.) There was also no mention of banning facial recognition at Logan Airport.