Statewide Biometric Surveillance Ban
Four bills would ban law enforcement, landlord, public accommodation, and school use of facial recognition across New York State.
4 active bills
- S5609 / A1045
- S8223 / A6363
- S8004 / A6211
- S9643 / A6720
NYC & New York State Coalition
Your face is not a serial number.
Facial recognition and biometric surveillance technologies are unjust, discriminatory, and a threat to our privacy. Help us stop their spread in New York City and the state of New York.
22,000+
NYPD facial recognition searches, 2016–2019
7
Bills moving in NYC & NY State right now
27
Coalition organizations backing the campaign
The Problem
Surveillance wasn't built to be fair.
Facial recognition and biometric surveillance disproportionately targets BIPOC, Muslim, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, and has already put innocent people in handcuffs.
01
Wrongful Arrests
Faulty matches have led to real people being wrongfully arrested and jailed, disproportionately Black New Yorkers.
02
Corporate Overreach
Madison Square Garden has used facial recognition to block attorneys at the door. Retailers like Wegmans and Rite Aid have tracked shoppers without consent.
03
It's Banned Elsewhere
Boston, San Francisco, Portland, and Minneapolis have already passed bans. New York should be next.
Two Fronts, One Fight
Pick your campaign.
We're pushing bans at both the city and state level. Every signature and every call helps move these bills forward.
NYC Biometric Surveillance Ban
Council bills would ban biometric surveillance in public accommodations, residential buildings, and by city government.
2 bills introduced
- Int 0213-2026
- Int 0428-2026
Who's Behind This
A coalition 27
organizations strong.
Led by a steering committee of civil rights and civil liberties organizations, and joined by dozens of community groups across New York.
Amnesty International
Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law
Fight for the Future
New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)
Surveillance Resistance Lab
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project
The Legal Aid Society
+ 20 more
See the Full Coalition
In the Press
Reporters have been paying attention.
Wired
The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden's Surveillance Machine
April 2026
ACLU
More than a Dozen Wrongful Arrests Due to Police Reliance on Facial Recognition Technology
April 2026
TechCrunch
Amazon's Ring Rolls Out Controversial, AI-Powered Facial-Recognition Feature to Video Doorbells
December 2025
Take Action
Your legislators need to hear from you.
Sign the petition, contact your representatives, and stay in the loop as these bills move through the City Council and State Legislature.