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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Sam Levin in Los Angeles

San Francisco lawmakers vote to ban killer robots in drastic U-turn

A woman holds up a sign while taking part in a protest about the use of robots by the SFPD.
A woman holds up a sign while taking part in a protest about the use of robots by the SFPD. Photograph: Jeff Chiu/AP

San Francisco lawmakers voted to ban police robots from using deadly force on Tuesday, reversing course one week after officials had approved the practice and sparked national outrage.

The city’s board of supervisors voted to explicitly prohibit the San Francisco police department (SFPD) from using the 17 robots in its arsenal to kill people. The board, however, also sent the issue back to a committee for further review, which means it could later decide to allow lethal force in some circumstances.

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