NYC's Gait Recognition Technology: A Privacy Concern?

New York City is increasingly using gait recognition technology, a method of identifying individuals based on their walking patterns. This technology raises significant privacy concerns for many New Yorkers.

<img src="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/2025/08/05/8b842de8-52de-4694-ae11-e1d1d25c082b/2030b7e043d9cfc9c1cd869d8273ce80.jpg" alt="Image illustrating gait recognition technology">

Councilmember's Proposal for Transparency

City Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez has introduced a bill to address these concerns. The bill would classify gait patterns as protected personal identifying information, similar to tax records. It would also mandate that city agencies inform individuals when their gait is being recorded.

This technology, capable of identifying people from up to 165 feet away even with their backs turned or faces covered, has sparked debate among New Yorkers about its implications for privacy and surveillance.

Public Reaction and Expert Opinion

Many New Yorkers express fear and unease about the widespread use of such technology, questioning the level of surveillance in their daily lives. Experts acknowledge the difficulty in regulating rapidly evolving technology but emphasize the need for legal frameworks, similar to those already in place in some other states and the EU, to protect citizens' privacy.

While the NYPD currently uses gait recognition to assist in crime solving (and would be exempt under the proposed law), the broader implications of this technology on individual privacy remain a pressing issue.

The city is currently reviewing the proposed legislation.