Privacy & Surveillance in Massachusetts (2026)
11 rules on the books across Massachusetts, 6 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Security Camera Rules
Rules about where residential security cameras can point, whether they can record neighbors' property, audio recording consent requirements, and HOA restrictions on camera placement.
Facial Recognition Ban
City bans on government use of facial-recognition technology, scope (police vs other agencies), exceptions (e.g., still-image post-incident review), and enforcement.
Boston
Heavy RestrictionsBoston Code § 16-62 makes it unlawful for the city or any city official to obtain, retain, access or use a face…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Heavy RestrictionsCambridge outright bans city staff, including police, from obtaining, retaining, requesting, accessing, or using Face…
Read full rule →Somerville
Heavy RestrictionsSomerville makes it unlawful for any city department, agency, or official to obtain, retain, access, or use a face…
Read full rule →Springfield
Heavy RestrictionsSpringfield bans every city department, officer, employee, agent, contractor, or vendor from obtaining, retaining…
Read full rule →Worcester
Heavy RestrictionsWorcester bans city government and police from acquiring, retaining, requesting, accessing or using facial surveillance…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Significant RestrictionsLawrence's Surveillance Technology ordinance, Chapter 9.25, classifies facial, voice, iris, and gait-recognition…
Read full rule →License Plate Readers
Rules governing automated license plate readers (ALPR) operated by police and HOAs, including data-retention limits, sharing restrictions, and audit requirements.
Boston
Significant RestrictionsBoston classifies automatic license plate readers as regulated "surveillance technology," so city departments cannot…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Significant RestrictionsCambridge treats automatic license plate readers as regulated Surveillance Technology under Municipal Code Chapter…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Significant RestrictionsLawrence's Surveillance Technology ordinance, Chapter 9.25, names automatic license plate readers as regulated…
Read full rule →Somerville
Significant RestrictionsAutomatic license plate readers are named surveillance technology under Somerville's oversight ordinance, so the police…
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