John,

Last week in an interview about the launch of our open letter calling for an end to biometric surveillance at venues and live events,¹ I was asked:

“What would you say to people who argue ‘the cat is already out of the bag’? We’ve got license plate readers, we’ve got police across the country using facial recognition, we’ve got facial recognition on our phones… It’s already everywhere. Is there a point in fighting it?”

If you’re reading this, you can probably guess what my response was: not only do we have a moral imperative to fight this tech, I also strongly believe we will WIN the fight!

Yes, this technology has spread rapidly—but so too has the resistance.

15 cities in the US have already passed some sort of legislation banning facial recognition, and some states have even passed statewide legislation.
As a result of our movement organizing, 20 of the largest retailers in the US, including Target, CVS, and Costco², and 40 of the biggest music festivals in the US, including Burning Man and Lollapalooza³, have gone on record saying they don’t have any plans to use facial recognition.
And Amazon, the most powerful company in the world, was forced to place a moratorium on the sale of its facial recognition technology to law enforcement.⁴

Fight for the Future played a critical role in each of those wins, and we can keep winning, again and again, but only with your ongoing support. Click here to become a Fight for the Future monthly supporter.

While it’s so important for us to celebrate and uplift these victores, it’s also true that many people in the US still don’t know about the dangers of biometric surveillance and its role in perpetuating oppression. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with your support, so much is possible. Together we can:

Design creative and powerful PR campaigns that highlight on a mass level the stories of people who’ve been harmed by this technology, as well as the incredible stories of communities resisting it.
Cause so much embarrassment to companies like Macy’s and Red Rocks Amphitheater through splashy direct actions that they’re forced to abandon their biometric surveillance tools.
Continue to support local organizers and our champions in Congress to push for bans on biometric surveillance
Reach out to tens of thousands of business owners across the country about signing our Business Owners Pledge against facial recognition.

When you become a monthly supporter, you’re resourcing the fight against biometric surveillance across the country. No matter the amount, you’re making an invaluable contribution to keeping everyone safe from this technology. Click here to become a Fight for the Future monthly supporter.

I really do not want to live in a world where biometric surveillance is used to track and monitor us everywhere we go. Some people might think that world is inevitable. But thanks to the beautiful resilience and perseverance of communities on the frontlines of resisting surveillance, and the work of organizations like Fight, I know we’re going to prove them wrong.

Onward,

Leila at Fight for the Future

Footnotes

1. Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tom-morello-mannequin-pussy-protest-letter-red-rocks-amazon-palm-scanner-1258707/

2. Ban Facial Recognition in Stores: banfacialrecognition.com/stores

3. Ban Facial Recognition at Festivals: banfacialrecognition.com/festivals

4. Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-amazon-extends-moratorium-police-use-facial-recognition-software-2021-05-18/

Fight for the Future works to protect your rights in the digital age.