Even though technology continues to advance, not everyone is comfortable with how it progresses. Alameda is the latest city to ban the use of facial recognition technology.
One of the first city to ban the use of facial recognition was San Francisco. The city took a stand to ban the software very early on. San Francisco chose to block the facial recognition software that many police forces are turning to and Alameda has done the same.
Even though the police will not be able to use the facial recognition, the ban will not stop the Alameda police from working with data developed through the technology that comes from an outside company. People of Alameda are against the technology because of the potential abuse and violation of civil liberties. In October, lawmakers prohibited police from using the facial recognition software in their body cameras through January 2023.
"It implicates your right not to be treated as a suspect by having your face logged into a database," An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union named Matt Cagle stated about the controversial software.
The point of the facial recognition software is to compare facial features from sources like digital images and videos within a database. With this technology, authorities can easily determine individuals' identity.
Other cities that have banned the technology are Oakland and Berkeley. However, the facial recognition does have it's support in other industries. In 2017, Apple (NASDAQ: APPL) launched its own facial technology for their consumers to unlock and pay on their iPhones with ease. Many airports also use similar technology to scan passengers to speed up boarding lines. Facial technology continues to grow, but people continue to express their fear of it.