Face Surveillance Full Ban Ordinance prohibiting municipal use of face…
Somerville, MA — Face Surveillance Full Ban Ordinance prohibiting municipal use of face recognition
Somerville, MA · Face Surveillance Full Ban Ordinance prohibiting municipal use of face recognition
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- June 27, 2019
- Applies to
- Somerville, MA
Somerville's City Council unanimously banned any city department or agency, including police, from using face surveillance technology, making it the first East Coast city to do so.
Who is protected: People subject to this body's AI/surveillance systems.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Somerville, MA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Limited |
| Citation | Face Surveillance Full Ban Ordinance prohibiting municipal use of face recognition |
| Topics | police and surveillance AI · facial recognition · biometric data · consumer data privacy · government use of AI |
| News report | Somerville Becomes First East Coast City to Ban Government Use of Face Recognition Technology | ACLU |
More AI rules in Somerville, MA
- Somerville Face Surveillance Ban (2019, first East Coast) · In effect
- Face Surveillance Full Ban Ordinance · 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 location… · 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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