Democrats Propose U.S. Government Ban on Facial Recognition Tech

U.S. government use of facial recognition and other biometric technology would be banned under Democratic legislation unveiled in the House and Senate.

The legislation, announced June 25, would impose a nationwide moratorium on the technology. Civil rights groups and lawmakers at the local level have raised concerns about police use of the technology. The ban could only be lifted by another act of Congress.

Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced the legislation in their respective chambers. Other backers include Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).

Jayapal called facial recognition technology “invasive, inaccurate ...