Taken aback by recently emerging technologies that the laws and regulations were not ready for, San Francisco is planning to establish a new Office of Emerging Technology and take back control.
The City of San Francisco has suffered several surprises over the last several years due to emerging technologies. Tech firms have seen a lot of progress with different projects’ development, including gadgets, robots, and more. The issue lies with the fact that current laws and regulations are not always including specific guidelines for these technologies.
This has allowed companies to exploit certain gray areas, which has caused confusion, surprise, and uncertainty regarding how to handle new technological breakthroughs.
San Francisco has finally had enough, which is why it is now establishing a new Office for Emerging Technology, where the companies will have to pitch their services and proposals to the City before they can be allowed to use, test, or pilot the device within the city itself.
The legislation was introduced this Tuesday by Norman Yee, the President of the Board of Supervisors. Yee was also supported by Naomi Kelly, the City Administrator. The office, which has yet to be established, would be housed by Public Works, and it would receive around $250,000 in the current fiscal year.
The office would be in charge of reviewing the new technologies in collaboration with relevant departments, and it would provide businesses with a ‘Notice to Proceed,’ provided that the results of the review end up being satisfying. Furthermore, the office will also help companies understand how to obtain permissions for their services and technologies lawfully.
Yee commented that the ingenuity of tech companies is impressive, but that technology should be created to serve the best interests of the public, according to him. This is why anything untested or unregulated must not be allowed to use the City’s residents or visitors as guinea pigs for testing purposes.
Yee and Kelly collaborated since last year when they formed a working group that would recommend new city policies regarding the emerging technologies sector, and their number one recommendation was a centralized ‘front door’ for evaluating such tech first.
What do you think about the creation of the new office? Do you think that companies should be allowed to create and test technologies without reviews? Leave your comment below and let us know.
Images are courtesy of Shutterstock.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Sponsored
Sponsored