New Orleans Debates Facial Recognition Regs

New Orleans is at the center of a national debate as it considers an ordinance to legalize real-time facial recognition surveillance across the city. The proposal would allow police and private camera network Project NOLA to scan faces using a citywide camera grid.

Background:

• Since 2023, police have quietly used Project NOLA’s cameras for facial recognition without formal authorization, resulting in at least 34 arrests.
• In April 2025, after public outcry and a Washington Post investigation, the NOPD paused these alerts pending review.

Supporters claim the technology can help fight violent crime. Opponents, including the ACLU of Louisiana and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warn of racial bias and the erosion of privacy. The City Council is expected to vote this summer.

Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/06/12/facial-recognition-new-orleans-artificial-intelligence

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