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Government
San Francisco becomes the first US city to BAN government use of facial recognition
2019-05-15
[MAIL] San Francisco supervisors approved a ban on police using facial recognition technology, making it the first city in the U.S. with such a restriction.

The ban is part of broader oversight legislation that orders San Francisco departments to spell out details of any surveillance currently in use and any surveillance they hope to use.

Departments will need to get board approval to continue using or acquiring technology.
Posted by:Skidmark

#12  I don’t understand your question, Bobby. Clearly I’m mentally slower than usual today.
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-05-15 14:46  

#11  Who would be the first to know, TW?
Posted by: Bobby   2019-05-15 14:33  

#10  Nicely explained, SteveS.

In unrelated news Al Queda has set up their North American headquarters in San Francisco.

Truly or snark, rjschwarz?
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-05-15 14:21  

#9  As CCTV cameras proliferate in public spaces so will facial recognition systems.

With any kind of automated detection or testing, accuracy and interpretation will be an on-going problem. Did our early warning radar just pick up a massive ballistic missile launch or is it just a flock of birds? Does this DNA sample match one from the crime scene?

Facial recognition systems work by comparing features shared by two images and outputting a probability that they are the same. That probability gets turned into Yes/No depending on how you set the dial. But underneath, it's a probability.

Humans are notoriously bad at dealing with probability. If the odds of winning the lottery were 75%, we'd rush to buy a ticket. And be totally stunned if we lost. But 75% means 25 times out of a hundred you lose.

If you cloak probability in the mantle of authority, it's hard to resist an expert witness claim in court that there is a 75% chance this guy is the perp. But remember that 25 times out of a 100 thing? As I understand, the Chinese are going all in with facial recognition as part of their Social Credit system. That should tell you something about the uses and abuses of the technology.
Posted by: SteveS   2019-05-15 13:55  

#8  they wouldnt want to "out" all the chinese spys in the Bay Area
Posted by: 746   2019-05-15 12:47  

#7  ...too many false positives...

Too many sanctuary types match for feces on the street...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2019-05-15 11:41  

#6  In unrelated news Al Queda has set up their North American headquarters in San Francisco.
Posted by: rschwarz   2019-05-15 11:23  

#5  Legislation bans municipal but not personal, business or federal government use.

Too many false positives between the sidewalks and city hall.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2019-05-15 11:09  

#4  how will their iphones unlock?
Posted by: Yosemite Sam   2019-05-15 10:30  

#3  Yes. "Arm's length" is how USIC hired Steele.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2019-05-15 10:25  

#2  looks like a virtue signaling to me

security firms could use facial recog and their findings could be used by govt
Posted by: lord garth   2019-05-15 10:05  

#1  "Stopped Clock" syndrome. Even SF got this right.
Posted by: Phomorong Pelosi5448   2019-05-15 07:35