In effect
Limited protection
King County, WA — Ordinance prohibiting King County government and Sheriff use of facial recognition technology
King County, WA · Ordinance prohibiting King County government and Sheriff use of facial recognition technology
King County became the first U.S. county to ban its administrative agencies and the Sheriff's Office from using facial recognition technology, with a narrow exception for the National Child Search Assistance Act.
Technical detail
King County became the first U.S. county to ban its administrative agencies and the Sheriff's Office from using facial recognition technology, with a narrow exception for the National Child Search Assistance Act.
Who is protected: People subject to this body's AI/surveillance systems.
Who must comply: King County, WA
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | King County, WA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2021-06-01 |
| Citation | Ordinance prohibiting King County government and Sheriff use of facial recognition technology |
| Topics | police and surveillance AI · facial recognition · biometric data · consumer data privacy · children's online safety · government use of AI |
| Last verified | 2026-07-01 |
| Official source | Facial Recognition Technology Ban Passed by King County Council | King County ↗ |
More AI rules in King County, WA
- King County GenAI Guidelines · In effect
- King County FR Ban · In effect
- Ordinance outlawing algorithmic rent price fixing in unincor · 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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