In effect
Limited protection
Boston, MA — Ordinance banning face surveillance technology in Boston
Boston, MA · Ordinance banning face surveillance technology in Boston
Boston's City Council voted unanimously to ban city government, including police, from using face surveillance technology and from asking third parties to use it on their behalf.
Technical detail
Boston's City Council voted unanimously to ban city government, including police, from using face surveillance technology and from asking third parties to use it on their behalf.
Who is protected: People subject to this body's AI/surveillance systems.
Who must comply: Boston, MA
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Boston, MA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2020-06-24 |
| Citation | Ordinance banning face surveillance technology in Boston |
| Topics | police and surveillance AI · facial recognition · biometric data · consumer data privacy · government use of AI |
| Last verified | 2026-07-01 |
| Official source | Boston Bans Face Recognition Surveillance | ACLU ↗ |
More AI rules in Boston, MA
- Boston GenAI Guidelines · In effect
- Boston Public Schools · In effect
- Boston Interim GenAI Guidelines · In effect
- Boston Face Surveillance Ban · In effect
- Ordinance on Surveillance Oversight and Information Sharing · In effect
Related police and surveillance AI rules elsewhere
- NAACP v. xAI (Colossus 2 Air Pollution) · Blocked / in litigation
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for lo · Blocked / in litigation
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Huntington WV Flock contract approved 6-4 (Jul. 14, 2026) · In effect
- ACLU-WV v. Huntington (Flock contract mandamus) · Blocked / in litigation
- Minneapolis rejects Skydio DFR contract 6-6 (Jul. 16, 2026) · In effect
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