Why ban facial recognition technology?

The use of facial recognition technology (FRT) discriminates against BIPOC, Muslim, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities, putting New Yorkers at risk of wrongful arrest and even police violence. If we Ban the Scan, we will help protect millions of New Yorkers from the harms of biometric surveillance. This is why we are coming together, as organizations across New York City, to fight for a complete ban on facial recognition in New York.

Facial recognition is biased and broken. Countless studies by university researchers, nonprofit organizations, and even the U.S. federal government prove that the technology has no place in New York and continue to harm immigrants, BIPOC, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities. Sadly, the NYPD responded to the evidence of bias by only doubling-down on this discredited, dystopian tool. In response to a recently filed lawsuit, the NYPD revealed that from 2016-2019 they used facial recognition more than 22,000 times.

Government agencies are not the only offenders of facial recognition use: private entities are also installing the technology in public accommodations (restaurants, stores, arenas, etc.). Madison Square Garden Entertainment uses facial recognition to identify lawyers in litigation against the company and expel them from their venues. Landlords across the city are swapping out key fobs for facial recognition systems, raising privacy concerns for tenants of color and driving evictions.

The creep of facial recognition technology into all aspects of life threatens New Yorkers’ civil liberties and right to privacy. Cities across the country - including Boston, San Francisco, and Portland - are protecting residents from facial recognition, and it’s past time for New York City to do the same. It’s time to Ban The Scan!