A commentator at the Austin Statesman
criticizes city libraries for prohibiting caps, sunglasses, and hoodies, which prevent cameras from capturing images of patrons' faces. The library administration states that the underlying reason for the policy is safety. No doubt. But what's the expected safety payoff? And is the expected payoff a direct result of cameras recognizing faces, or is the payoff (safety or otherwise) a result of being able to exercise some measure of control for people wearing caps, sunglasses, or hoodies?
