California at Crossroads Over Policing and Facial Recognition

California is grappling with the best approach to regulate the use of facial recognition technology after a three-year ban on its use in police cameras expired in January.

The debate comes as policymakers grow increasingly concerned about negative consequences from biometric scans that can result in discrimination and an intrusion in privacy. For example, such identity checks at places from Madison Square Garden to US airports are coming under greater scrutiny as the technology becomes more prevalent.

The Golden State has been at the forefront on concerns over the software. In 2019, San Francisco became the first major city in ...