# Most Americans don't know what their state spends on facial recognition

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/ai/most-americans-dont-know-what-their-state-spends-on-facial-recognition/

> Indexed question in AI & Tech.

## Reading

Facial recognition spending is a blind spot: most Americans (52%) say they are not familiar with the current level of government spending on facial recognition technology in their state, according to an April 2025 Verasight survey.

One-in-five Americans (20%) think the level is about right. Critics lean toward overspending: 18% say it is too much or far too much, including 9% who say far too much, while 11% call it too little or far too little, including 3% who say far too little.

## Topline

How would you rate the current level of government spending on facial recognition technology in your state?

Most Americans don't know what their state spends on facial recognition.

- I'm not familiar with the current level of government spending on facial recognition technology in my state: 51.6%
- About right: 19.6%
- Too much: 9.6%
- Far too much: 8.5%
- Too little: 7.9%
- Far too little: 2.7%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2025-04-09 → 2025-04-15
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.5%
- Module: policy
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-mpsa-2025.tiiny.co#government-spending-on-facial-recognition](https://verasight-mpsa-2025.tiiny.co#government-spending-on-facial-recognition)

## Citation

Verasight MPSA Omnibus Survey #2025-026, fielded April 9-15, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.

Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-mpsa-2025.tiiny.co#government-spending-on-facial-recognition](https://verasight-mpsa-2025.tiiny.co#government-spending-on-facial-recognition)