In this week's post, we see with rising concerns that facial recognition software technology can be used in harmful and biased ways, cities are banning the use in public areas. 

Plus, a look at business entities and governing documents.

Cities Trend to Ban of Facial Recognition Software in Public

Last month, the city of Portland, Oregon, adopted two new ordinances that prohibit the use of facial recognition technology by both the city and in areas of public accommodation, which will affect some private businesses.  In so doing, Portland is only the third city to do so, following the likes of Boston and San Francisco.

In deciding to ban facial recognition software, Mayor Ted Wheeler cited concerns that the technology can be used in harmful and biased ways.  As facial recognition software has sometimes led to the incorrect arrest of innocent people, Wheeler, in a live-streamed City Council session, noted that there are “dangers and inequities” in facial recognition software as it currently stands.   

While San Francisco and Boston have also already banned the use of such software, Portland’s new ordinances go one step further by banning the use of facial recognition software in “places of public accommodation.” 

Read the full article here.

Business Entities: Governing Documents

A crucial component to forming a business entity properly is carefully crafting the documents that will govern the organization in the daily operations and management of affairs, the relationship between the owners and those managing the operations, and the process of dissolving the business or making other substantial decisions in the course of the business cycle.

The names of the documents differ depending on the type of business entity that is used. Because of the different nuances among states, this article will focus on Texas.

All entities that provide liability protection in Texas are formed by filing a Certificate of Formation with the Texas Secretary of State. However, that is just the beginning.

Read more here.

Click to read the previous Weekly IP Buzz on Thriving Attorney.

For more posts, see our Intellectual Property Law Blog.

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In addition to Thriving Attorney, Darin M. Klemchuk is founder of Klemchuk LLP, a litigation, intellectual property, and transactional law firm located in Dallas, Texas. Click to read more about Darin Klemchuk's practice as an intellectual property lawyer.