Minneapolis City Council bans use of facial recognition technology

The City Council of Minneapolis, USA, has approved an ordinance that prohibits city authorities from buying facial recognition technology (FRT) or using data derived from it. In making the decision, the council has considered concerns around issues such as privacy and automated surveillance. The ordinance also includes some exceptions allowing city departments to request permitted use of FRT and data. According to council member Steve Fletcher, these exceptions ‘do not risk harm to its subjects’. Reacting to the news, the local police reportedly noted that it is possible for FRT to be ‘utilised in accordance with data privacy and other citizen legal protections’.