King County Facial Recognition Technology Ban (Ordinance 2021)
King County, WA (home to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport) — King County Facial Recognition Technology Ban (Ordinance 2021)
King County, WA (home to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport) · King County Facial Recognition Technology Ban (Ordinance 2021)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- June 1, 2021
- Applies to
- King County, WA (home to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport)
King County (which operates Sea-Tac's environs and the Sheriff's Office) became the first U.S. county to ban all county-agency use of facial recognition, though federal CBP use at Sea-Tac is unaffected.
Who is protected: People subject to this body's AI/surveillance systems.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | King County, WA (home to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport) |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Limited |
| Citation | King County Facial Recognition Technology Ban (Ordinance 2021) |
| Topics | facial recognition · biometric data · consumer data privacy · government use of AI · police and surveillance AI |
| News report | King County, Washington, bans facial recognition (StateScoop) |
Related facial recognition rules elsewhere
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Bristol VA PD facial recognition program (first VA local agency) · In effect
- Dallas PD Clearview AI facial recognition policy · In effect
- Ban biometric recognition in public accommodations (Ban The Scan) · Proposed / pending
- Limit facial recognition in residential buildings (Ban The Scan) · Proposed / pending
- Texas v. Google · In effect
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