San Francisco authorities have banned police from using Face ID, a face recognition technology, because it could potentially infringe upon civil rights of residents. This city became the first in the United States of America with a similar restriction. This was reported by the Associated Press news agency.

Local legislature against the use of this technology at the municipal level. However, the ban does not apply to use in private, in the business sphere, and does not apply to the federal level.

Opponents of facial recognition technology have repeatedly stressed that it is too imperfect and is a serious threat to civil rights. Opponents were in favor of the police having a powerful tool for fighting crime.

The ban on the use of facial recognition technology is part of a wider supervisory law in San Francisco. Local law enforcement agencies were instructed to explain the details of any kind of surveillance used.

Police departments must obtain approval for the use or acquisition of similar technologies. Note that in San Francisco are located the headquarters of technology giants such as Twitter, Uber, and Airbnb.