Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota has recently implemented facial recognition technology as part of its security system to identify persons of interest. These individuals are defined as those who are trespassed from the mall, potential threats, reported to staff by law enforcement, or missing. The system only searches for matches to uploaded photos of persons of interest, with no data stored if there is no match. Security alerts are sent to the team if there is a match, prompting further investigation.
Vice President of Security at Mall of America, Will Bernhjelm, explained that utilizing this technology enhances their efforts to keep the mall safe for guests and staff. The security team conducts visual reviews of uploaded photos to confirm matches to potential persons of interest. This move comes after the Minneapolis City Council voted to ban the use of facial recognition technology, except in narrow exceptions. This decision was influenced by concerns over social justice and privacy invasion, prompting organizations like the ACLU to advocate against the use of this technology. Cities like Boston and San Francisco have also banned facial recognition technology.
The ACLU has expressed concerns over the use of facial recognition technology. In response to this development at Mall of America, FOX 9 has reached out to the ACLU for comment and will update the story if a response is received. This implementation at Mall of America reflects ongoing efforts to enhance security measures and ensure the safety of visitors to the renowned shopping destination.
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