San Francisco discusses ban on facial recognition as a surveillance tool

San Francisco is one of the most important cities for technology platforms that have changed the way of life in the world. There were companies born such as Uber, Twitter, Airbnb and Yahoo; but also wants to be part of the history of technology by being the first city to ban facial recognition software.

A few days ago, the San Francisco Supervisory Board pbaded an order to end secret surveillance (SSSO). The results have not yet been made public, but if they succeed, San Francisco would be the first city on the planet where this type of technology is banned.

At the World level it lacks specific legislation on technology and privacy. That is why this ordinance is a legislative milestone for citizens, who will have greater freedom in their daily lives.

In the legislation proposed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU, for its acronym in English), you can read the following:

"While surveillance technology may threaten the privacy of each of us, surveillance efforts have always been used to: intimidate and oppress certain communities and groups more than others, including those defined by a common raceethnic origin, religion, national origin, income level, badual orientation or political perspective ".

It's not just facial recognition that we're trying to legislate, but the "monitoring technology", what the SSSO defines as any software or electronic device designed or primarily intended to collect, store, process or share audio, visual, geographical, thermal, biometric, olfactory or similar information badociated with or badociated with an individual or group.

Because it's a description that covers many aspects, This law could include devices such as scanners, cameras used in the body, license plate readers and even DNA capture systems.

Although these systems are eligible as long as Prescription and impact reports are submitted for review, It is important to mention that facial recognition would be the only form of surveillance that I would totally ban it.

A study conducted in 2016 by Georgetown University revealed that the Most American adults appear in police photo databases. This is possible because the federal and national laws of this country leave it to the discretion of the security authorities Set your own policies.

In the European Union, the situation is completely opposite to that of San Francisco, as the European Parliament has approved the creation of a vast database on identity and biometrics. anyone who comes to this territory to maintain interconnected systems of border control, migration and law enforcement.

In the Latin American context, according to the World Economic Forum, The regulation of facial recognition should be a priority for countries with governments interested in its use. For example, the Mexico City government has announced the purchase of face-recognition video surveillance cameras for the most critical metro stations.

According to Leobardo Hernández, an expert in computer security at the UNAM School of Advanced Studies Aragón, the real problem for Mexican citizens is that: "There is a huge lack of lawyers specialized in cybercrime and cybersecurity".

A basic framework for facial recognition regulationaccording to the World Economic Forum, It must be transparent vis-à-vis the notified persons and, in some cases, consent to the collection of your data. In addition, it must establish clear rules for governments and security agencies to use them responsibly.