San Francisco to Decide on Implementing AI, Drones, and Security Cameras for Crime Prevention

A ballot measure in San Francisco is set to be voted on next week, proposing the authorization of police to use surveillance cameras, drones, and AI-powered facial recognition in an effort to address the city’s issues with street crime and drugs.

The initiative, known as Proposition E or the Safer San Francisco initiative, is supported by Mayor London Breed, who is confident that citizens will approve the proposal come Tuesday.

Despite being fueled by technology in the tech hub of Silicon Valley, San Francisco residents have a long-standing suspicion of surveillance. In 2019, the city banned the government’s use of facial recognition over privacy and misuse concerns, becoming the first major US city to do so.

Mayor Breed, who is seeking reelection, downplays the potential for abuse under the new proposal, emphasizing that there are safeguards in place.

“I understand people’s concerns about privacy rights and other issues, but technology is omnipresent,” she stated in an interview. “It’s advancing regardless of our desires. Everyone is carrying AI in their hands with smartphones, recording and filming.”

Critics of the measure argue that it could negatively impact marginalized communities and result in wrongful arrests, pinpointing the need for increased oversight on surveillance technology.

Supporters of the proposal believe that the rising discontent among residents regarding car thefts and public drug use will lead to votes in favor of expanding police powers. San Francisco has been struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic, with businesses closing due to crime and other challenges, contributing to a decline in city morale.

If passed, the proposition would permit the use of security cameras in public spaces, facial recognition in video surveillance, and drones to aid law enforcement.

While San Francisco’s violent crime rate is lower than in other major US cities, the rate of petty crime is significantly higher, according to FBI data.

Advocates for the measure argue that anti-police sentiment in San Francisco escalated following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020.

“We went too far…we unfairly criticized the concept of police,” said Chris Larsen, founder of cryptocurrency startup Ripple, who has contributed to the campaign in support of the Safer San Francisco measure.