Evan GreerVerified account

The city council and mayor unanimously approved two ordinances. The first is similar to those passed in Boston, San Francisco, etc. it bans all government use of facial recognition including use by police, schools, etc. notably this also includes use by TSA or airlines at PDX

The second ordinance is historic. It bans private businesses from using facial recognition in places of “public accommodation” as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. That means stores can’t use it on their customers, or on people walking by. It’s a huge deal.

The bans passed with overwhelming support despite Amazon spending more than $24,000 lobbying against them, along with opposition from local banks and Big Tech industry associations. Its an enormous victory for the global movement to #BanFacialRecognition & end racist surveillance

Corporate use of facial recognition can be just as dangerous and discriminatory as government and law enforcement use. This technology, like nuclear or biological weapons, poses such a profound threat to humanity that it can’t be regulated. It must be abolished.