S.T.O.P. Testifies For NYC Council To Ban Facial Recognition

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Testifies For NYC Council To Ban Facial Recognition (NEW YORK, NY, 2/24/2023) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.) testified before the New York City Council’s Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection’s hearing on facial recognition, calling on the Council to broadly ban its use not only by private businesses but also landlords, NYPD, and other city agencies. S.T.O.P. Legal Fellow Nina Loshkajian stated in her testimony that the technology is biased, invasive, and disproportionately impacts BIPOC communities. The hearing comes after multiple controversies over the use of facial recognition by venues owned by Madison Square Garden Entertainment. SEE: S.T.O.P. – Statement of S.T.O.P. Legal Fellow Nina Loshkajian before the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection, New York City Council https://www.stopspying.org/testimony-1/2023/2/24/statement-of-nina-loshkajian-before-the-committee-on-consumer-and-worker-protection New York City Council Committee on Worker and Consumer Protection – Oversight - The Use of Facial Recognition in New York City Businesses https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1079091&GUID=A96A1AEF-8E35-4A88-96EB-80323DD47A80&Options=info|&Search= Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns MSG CEO For Doubling Down On Facial Recognition https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/1/27/stop-condemns-msg-ceo-for-doubling-down-on-facial-recognition “New Yorkers should not be forced to hand over their biometric data just to pick up groceries or go to a concert,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Legal Fellow Nina Loshkajian. “Yet this is the reality in our city, and it will continue to be until the Council acts. It’s been over two years since S.T.O.P. drafted legislation banning facial recognition, but the Council keeps putting our privacy and civil rights on the backburner. We’re heartened to see the Council address facial recognition used by businesses, but New Yorkers need a full ban that includes its use by police and landlords.” The civil rights group has lobbied City Council to implement a set of bills that would outlaw facial recognition’s use in residential areas, places of public accommodation, and by government agencies. The proposed legislation has been blocked from introduction in the Council for over two years and was excluded from the Committee’s hearing. SEE: S.T.O.P. Legislative Tracker https://www.stopspying.org/legislation The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn   Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.