I respect the intent behind these efforts. I just don't see how they will prevent ubiquitous surveillance.

Imagine this possible near future: Many property owners have installed smart doorbells and security systems with cameras. The data is being fed into aggregation systems and sold, just like clicks today. I can subscribe to an app on my phone for a few dollars a month (below the limit required to get formal approval in most organizations) that shows me where a face has been seen.

How will this not happen?

I don’t see why we couldn’t pass a law that says that the government can’t use $technology_x, and that this applies to government contractors and services purchased by the government or used by government employees acting in their professional capacity.

What technology would you prohibit?

If a police officer can look up a suspect on Facebook, why couldn't he use one of many other services that are aggregating data?

Your attitude on this doesn't make any sense to me.

A single man can record videos yes, but they can't record millions of videos and aggregate them into a searchable database. For that you need larger groups of people and a significant amount of infrastructure. You could absolutely limit the ability to do this without having to outlaw cameras or social media or anything like that.

Are you making some blanket assumption that laws can't have an impact on private businesses? Because that's clearly not true.

No, I am not making a blanket assumption that we cannot have laws. I don't see how we can make collection and aggregation of data illegal, at least in the United States. Maybe it is possible in more authoritarian cultures, but those are the ones who will use it the most.

Databases of aggregated ALPR data exist and have economic value. Facebook exists and aggregates data. Can you elaborate on what kind of law you think should exist to prevent that?

How about a law preventing you from tracking a person's location without their consent? What's wrong with that?

Most laws depend on the concept of intent already so its not like you would have to outlaw security cameras or anything to enforce.

That would make current ALPR databases illegal. Do you think that is possible?

Yes.

I mean, you could ban “systems who’s primary purpose is to aggregate personal data on non-criminals” (please don’t nitpick the phrasing, I’m obviously not a lawyer) or something similar. I’m not sure why people are acting like this is an unsolvable problem - patent lawyers can write descriptions of fairly vague technological systems that hold up in court.

I am genuinely interested how this can be prevented. I don't see how it can. We are not far away from people having eyeglasses that are able to upload photos and download aggregated data. Everyone in your field of vision will have a dossier. It won't just be governments using this. It won't require some prior written permission. The same people that sold browsing data to advertisers will have this technology.

Remove the funding.

Please elaborate. What funding? Every cop can buy a smartphone.

Every school teacher can buy a baseball bat, but we don’t act like it’s a given that teachers will beat students with baseball bats.

I don't see how that explains a way to prevent anyone from using facial recognition technology.

Reduce your contributions to government. This thread is about government.

Anyone can personally purchase whatever they desire.

That is exactly what I wrote. Any government official/employee will be able to use this technology. If you are proposing some kind of libertarian non-government, that would be consistent with my original statement that the only way to limit this is to limit government.