The rapid expansion of state surveillance powers in the digital age has triggered a global movement dedicated to defending individual privacy. This coalition of lawyers, technologists, and activists argues for significant policy changes and enhanced digital safeguards. How does this battle shape technology, individual freedoms, and governmental roles in our lives?

Restricting Face Surveillance: A Grassroots Victory

In 2019, communities spearheaded efforts to ban government use of face surveillance technology. San Francisco led the charge by becoming the first U.S. city to prohibit local government use in May. This Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance included Community Control of Police Surveillance protections, setting a precedent. Berkeley and Oakland followed, amending their CCOPS laws to exclude face surveillance technology. Meanwhile, Somerville, Massachusetts, became the second city to enact a ban, marking the first on the East Coast.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation introduced the ‘About Face’ campaign to halt government use of face surveillance. In a significant statewide move, California passed A.B. 1215, a statute imposing a three-year moratorium on face recognition integrated with police body cameras. In Massachusetts, policy proposals aim for an indefinite moratorium, pushing privacy to the forefront by addressing the uncertainties surrounding these technologies.

Challenging Digital Surveillance for Marginalized Communities

Digital surveillance’s rapid expansion impacts Black and marginalized communities, fueling concerns about privacy. Princeton University’s Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab leads efforts to combat these challenges, focusing on color resistance against digital monitoring. The project, ‘Liberatory Technology and Digital Marronage,’ draws inspiration from historical practices where enslaved individuals escaped, forming autonomous societies. This initiative reflects a broader movement to create technologies and digital spaces for healing and education, emphasizing empowerment and privacy.

“rethink and retool the relationship between stories and statistics, power and technology, justice and data”

Technological initiatives such as Breonna’s Garden and Kinfolk provide digital spaces that foster healing and education for marginalized communities. Meanwhile, advocacy organizations expose and combat high-tech government surveillance, partnering with grassroots networks to build effective campaigns that push for legislative change.

Holding Technology and Government Accountable

The ACLU of Northern California has a storied history in opposing state surveillance in cities like San Francisco. Investigations exposed practices like the California Highway Patrol’s aerial surveillance of racial justice scouts. Organizations have compelled companies like Amazon to halt selling face recognition software to police, demanding a halt on such sales. They partner with conglomerates like Verizon and AT&T to push transparency reports on governmental requests for customer data.

Public advocacy has yielded notable successes, including passing significant privacy legislation such as the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Reader Privacy Act. These efforts showcase the potential of coordinated campaigns to combat excessive surveillance while underscoring the vital importance of balancing innovation with privacy.

Sources:

The Fight Against Government Face Surveillance: 2019 Year in Review | Electronic Frontier Foundation

How a New Generation Is Combatting Digital Surveillance | Department of African American Studies

Fighting High-Tech Government Surveillance | ACLU of Northern CA