Privacy & Surveillance in Minneapolis, MN (2026)
2 verified privacy & surveillance rules for Minneapolis, Minnesota, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Facial Recognition Ban
Minneapolis city departments, including police, are banned from acquiring or using facial recognition technology under a 2021 ordinance, with only narrow carve-outs like phone unlocking.
Minneapolis Bans City Facial Recognition Use
Heavy RestrictionsMinneapolis Code of Ordinances § 41.120
Unless expressly permitted by this article, it shall be unlawful for the city to: (1) Acquire, obtain, or retain facial recognition technology; (2) Enter into a contract with a third party for the purpose of acquiring, obtaining, or retaining city access to facial recognition technology; or (3) Enter into a contract with a third party that assists the third party in developing, improving, or ex...
License Plate Readers
Minneapolis requires a public hearing and City Council approval before any license plate reader contract takes effect, and bars using LPR data or technology to help enforce federal immigration law.
Minneapolis License Plate Reader Contract Rules
Significant RestrictionsMinneapolis Code of Ordinances §§ 18.190, 19.20
(c) City Council approval required. ... the City shall not enter into any new surveillance technology contract without affirmative approval of the contract by formal action of the City Council, subject to City Charter § 4.4. ... city employees, representatives, and contractors shall not use city ... data, technology (e.g. license plate recognition, surveillance video, computers) ... for the pur...
Looking for Hennepin County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Minneapolis city rules.
Privacy & Surveillance in Hennepin County →