Wash. county bans facial recognition use by Sheriff’s Office, government agencies

The County Council in King County, Washington, banned the use of facial recognition information or technology by the Sheriff’s Office and other county agencies, The Seattle Times reports. The law enables individuals to sue in cases of violations and does not prohibit use of the technology by private groups or individuals. The Council cited privacy threats and bias in supporting the ban. Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles said the technology “raises huge concerns,” including an “encroachment on civil liberties and privacy for everybody.”