Portland bans private companies from using facial recognition technology

Portland City Council has unanimously voted to pass two ordinances that prohibit the use of facial recognition technologies by both city departments and private companies.

While other cities, including Boston, San Francisco and Oakland, have also passed bans restricting government entities from using facial recognition software, Portland is the first to include private businesses. City officials say other surveillance systems will also be assessed.

One ordinance bans the use and acquisition of face recognition technologies by all city departments and will go into effect immediately. The second ordinance, which will go into effect on January 1, 2021, bans private companies from using fa...