New York State has banned the use of facial recognition technology in schools, citing concerns over student privacy and civil rights.

The decision, made by Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, allows local school districts to determine the use of digital fingerprinting and other biometric technology. This move follows a moratorium on facial recognition technology that had been in place since a legal challenge was filed by parents against an upstate district that had adopted the technology.

The decision to ban facial recognition in schools came after a report by the Office of Information Technology Services highlighted that the risks of using such technology in an educational setting might outweigh the potential security benefits. The report emphasized concerns regarding higher false positive rates for people of color, non-binary and transgender individuals, women, the elderly, and children. It also questioned the effectiveness of the technology in preventing school shootings, noting that it might only create the illusion of safer schools.

Read the full report here.