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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsNational security2yrs ago

Should the government use facial recognition technology for mass surveillance to enhance public safety?

Facial recognition technology uses software to identify individuals based on their facial features, and can be used to monitor public spaces and enhance security measures. Proponents argue that it enhances public safety by identifying and preventing potential threats, and helps in locating missing persons and criminals. Opponents argue that it infringes on privacy rights, can lead to misuse and discrimination, and raises significant ethical and civil liberties concerns.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 872k America voters.

41%
Yes
59%
No
36%
Yes
53%
No
4%
Yes, but only if it’s tightly regulated and used with transparency
4%
No, it sets a dangerous precedent for government control over citizens
2%
Yes, but only targeting criminal hotspots to protect vulnerable communities
2%
No, I trust the technology but not the humans that could misuse it
0%
No, this would be too expensive to implement

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @9L4Z23B  from Pennsylvania  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, as long as data is stored securely and not sold to third parties, and technology is used only in public spaces where expectation of privacy is not expected

 @9RVFYF3 from North Carolina  answered…2yrs2Y

Never for mass surveillance, but targeted surveillance should be permitted if a warrant showing probable cause of criminal or terrorist activity is acquired

 @9SXRZYY from Pennsylvania  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, but only to look for individuals whose image has been uploaded into a system to track those individuals specifically.

 @9VLZGRV from Oklahoma  answered…2yrs2Y

No, absolutely not this is a clear violation of mass privacy. As there is a boundary between being recorded accidentally and without mean to harm, categorize, or surveil. And purposefully scanning hundreds of thousands of faces with the means of scanning a database to find a specific person then categorizing and memorizing those faces. In short it is a violation of public privacy that everyone should be afforded.

 @9RWQ4CJ from Tennessee  answered…2yrs2Y

No, facial recognition technology has shown itself to be wildly undependable and struggles to correctly identify POC, which could lead to the arrest of innocents.

 @9TBZWTK from Wisconsin  answered…2yrs2Y

There are both positives and negatives from this, but it can definitely be misused and people can use it for the wrong reasons.

 @B7SMKC6 from Texas  answered…8mos8MO

No, this would be too expensive to implement and it sets a dangerous precedent for government control over citizens

 @9SLDRDJ from North Carolina  answered…2yrs2Y

Never mass surveillance, but targeted surveillance against criminals and terrorists should be permitted with a warrant showing probable cause

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2yrs2Y

Elizabeth Warren Walks Back Murder Comments

Congressional Democrats broadly denounced the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Friday morning, after Republicans started accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of excusing violence.“No one's condoning this,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). “Violence never is the right answer for anything. And it was a horrible murder, a tragic loss for his family.” Warren this week condemned the shooting, but added that people “can be pushed only so far.”"We'll say it over and over," Warren said on MSNBC’S “The ReidOut.” " Violence is never the answer. This guy [Luigi Mangione] gets a trial who's allegedly killed the CEO of UnitedHealth, but you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands."In a statement to POLITICO, Warren said, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Top Republicans denounced Warren's comments and the walked-back rhetoric, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) calling it “inappropriate and dangerous.”Some House Democrats asked about the incident on Thursday pivoted the conversation to discuss policy options on health care or gun safety.“I don't really know that this is really a space that Congress normally weighs in on,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). “But at the end of the day, I think it’s an opportunity, because now people are talking about health care and to talk about the fact that this industry has honestly not been as helpful as it could be.”“Violence is never the answer,” said Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.). “We know that there are people suffering, there’s great challenges in healthcare. There's great challenges, and people have, in fact, been wronged, but a process of governance is the way to address that, not violence.”And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) who denounced the murder, said the killer should be prosecuted and that “I do know that allegedly a ghost gun was used, and we should also ban ghost guns. There's no reason for them beyond the streets.”

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Based on 872k responses to this question.

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iSideWith. (2026). “Should the government use facial recognition technology for mass surveillance to enhance public safety?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://www.isidewith.com/polls/5139232596

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