Commissioner: Schools Banned from Using Facial Recognition Tech

Schools will not be able to purchase or use facial recognition technology.

The New York State Education Department issued a determination Wednesday that schools at the local level are able to decide whether they want to use biometric identifying technology, other than facial recognition, so long as they consider the technology’s privacy implications, impact on civil rights, effectiveness, and parental input. Other types of biometric identifying technology include fingerprint and handprint, voice, iris, retina, and gait recognition technologies.

In reaching this decision, Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa considered the recommendations of the biometrics report conducted by the Office of Information Technology Services, which was released on August 7th. Rosa concluded that serious concerns surrounding the use of facial recognition technology do not outweigh its claimed benefits.