Ban the Scan
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.
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!
Campaign Progress
PASS NEW YORK CITY BAN ON PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS BIOMETRIC SURVEILLANCE
Status: Introduced, hearing held, pending vote in Technology Committee
Bill Number: Int 1014-2023
Prime Sponsors: CM Jennifer Gutiérrez, CM Shahana Hanif
Description: This bill would ban storefronts and other public accommodations from using facial recognition in surveillance cameras and other biometric surveillance, creating a private right of action for violations.
INTRODUCE NEW YORK CITY BAN ON GOVERNMENT USE OF BIOMETRIC SURVEILLANCE
Status: Not introduced
Bill Number: TBD
Prime Sponsors: TBD
Description: This bill would prohibit the use of facial recognition and biometric surveillance technology by any New York City agency, contractor, or employee.
PASS NEW YORK CITY BAN ON RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD BIOMETRIC SURVEILLANCE
Status: Introduced, hearing held, pending vote in Technology Committee
Bill Number: Int 1024-2023
Prime Sponsors: CM Carlina Rivera, CM Pierina Sanchez
Description: This bill would ban landlords from using facial recognition and other biometric entrance systems.
Take Action
Take action in support of Int 1014 and Int 1024.
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Supporters
Steering Committee Members
Amnesty International
Center On Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU Law
Fight for the Future
Legal Aid Society
New York Civil Liberties Union
Surveillance Resistance Lab
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project
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Amnesty International
Athena Coalition
Bronx Defenders
Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law
EFF - Austin
Fight for the Future
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
May First Movement Technology
National Action Network
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)
NYLS Privacy Law Association
Oakland Privacy
Open MIC
Policing and Social Justice Project
Surveillance Resistance Lab
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project
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Access Now
Algorithmic Justice League
American Friends Service Committee - Healing Justice NY
Amnesty International
Athena Coalition
Bronx Defenders
CFA - Consumer Federation of America
Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law
EFF - Austin
Empire State Indivisible
Equality for Flatbush (E4F)
Fight for the Future
Freedom To Thrive
Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ)
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
Justice Strategies
May First Movement Technology
NYC DSA Tech Action
NYLS Privacy Law Association
National Action Network
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)
No Ethics In Big Tech
Oakland Privacy
Open MIC
PDX Privacy
Policing and Social Justice Project
Progressive Technology Project
SWOP Brooklyn
Secure Justice
Surveillance Resistance Lab
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project
Endorse as an Organization
Media
4/12/2023 Press Release - S.T.O.P. Celebrates Intro Of 2 NYC Facial Recognition Bans
01/25/2021 The Guardian - Human rights group urges New York to ban police use of facial recognition
01/25/2021 The Verge - Amnesty International calls for a ban on facial recognition in New York City
01/15/2021 Response To Capitol Riot Could Hurt Minorities, Civil Libertarians Say
01/09/21 The Capitol Attack Doesn’t Justify Expanding Surveillance
6/16/2020 Council Forces N.Y.P.D. to Disclose Use of Drones and Other Spy Tech
03/16/2020 NYPD releases facial recognition policy to mixed reviews
10/17/2019 The Daily Beast - Facial Recognition Tech Is a Blatant Misuse of Police Bodycams
10/10/2019 Gotham Gazette - Surveillance and the City: Facing Up to Facial Recognition
Resources
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“Scan City: A Decade of NYPD Facial Recognition Abuse”, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project
“USA: Facial Recognition technology reinforcing racist stop-and-frisk policing in New York”, Amnesty International
“A Forensic Without the Science: Face Recognition in U.S. Criminal Investigations”, Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology
“Garbage In, Garbage Out: Face Recognition on Flawed Data”, Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology
“Face Recognition Vendor Test”, National Institute of Standards and Technology
“Why We Absolutely Must Ban Private Use Of Facial Recognition”, Fight for the Future
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Nijeer Parks
NY Times: Another Arrest, and Jail Time, Due to a Bad Facial Recognition Match
CNN: A false facial recognition match sent this innocent Black man to jail
WIRED: "How Wrongful Arrests Based on AI Derailed 3 Men's Lives"
Porcha Woodruff
NY Times: "Eight Months Pregnant and Arrested After False Facial Recognition Match"
CBS Detroit: Detroit woman sues city over false arrest while 8 months pregnant due to faulty facial recognition
Randall Reid
Gizmodo: Innocent Black Man Jailed After Facial Recognition Got It Wrong, His Lawyer Says
AP News: Facial recognition tool led to mistaken arrest, lawyer says
Robert Williams
Detroit Free Press: Farmington Hills man sues Detroit police after facial recognition wrongly identifies him
Michael Oliver
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