California blocks bill that could’ve led to a facial recognition police-state

As images of police brutality flashed across our screens this week, Californian lawmakers were considering a bill that would have expanded facial recognition surveillance across the state. Yesterday, following a prolonged campaign by a civil rights coalition, the legislators blocked the bill. The Microsoft-backed bill had been introduced by Assemblyman Ed Chau, who argued it would regulate the use of the tech by commercial and public entities. But the ACLU warned that it was an “endorsement of invasive surveillance” that would allow law enforcement agencies and tech firms to self-regulate their use of the tech. [Read: Masks won’t protect you from facial recognition] Chau claimed that the bill would help…

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