Public Fights Back Against Mass Surveillance Tech

Opposition to automated license plate readers, such as those offered by Flock Safety, is escalating at the local level across the US. Recent disputes in South Carolina over new camera installations and a broken contract in Los Angeles highlight public concerns about the extent of community surveillance. These pushbacks are largely driven by worries over potential abuses like biased policing and privacy violations inherent in mass surveillance systems.

To combat this, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the University of Nevada, Reno, have developed the Atlas of Surveillance. This free tool serves as a comprehensive database for mapping police technology, including drones and facial-recognition cameras. Users can search by location or vendor to find details and public records, aiding in informed community discussions about technology appropriateness.

Beryl Lipton of the EFF emphasizes the Atlas's role in informing local officials and residents, facilitating essential conversations about surveillance equipment and advocating for usage standards. While other tracking tools exist, the Atlas relies on crowdsourced data from dedicated volunteers, ensuring a degree of reliability often surpassing alternative sources, despite occasional gaps in historical data for certain programs.