"There was a system where surveillance wasn't abstract. It was a tool to use, monitor, intimidate, and silence. And I grew up with those stories on why my parents led the Philippines to come to the U.S. And so for many immigrants and communities of color, surveillance technology carries that same historical weight. It's not neutral."
"Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems use high-speed cameras and software to instantly scan, digitize and cross-reference vehicle license plates against databases to identify vehicles of interest for law enforcement or administrative purposes."
Mountain View's city council voted unanimously to cancel its contract with Flock Safety and remove automated license plate readers (ALPR) following public outcry over unauthorized access to camera data. Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos, whose parents fled the Philippines during Marcos' martial law surveillance state, drew parallels between historical repression and current surveillance technology expansion. ALPR systems use cameras and software to scan license plates and cross-reference them against databases for law enforcement purposes. The council also sought to recoup $154,650 already spent on the technology. The decision reflects growing public anxiety about privacy, data access, and government surveillance expansion, particularly among immigrant and communities of color who view such technology through the lens of historical state repression.
#surveillance-technology #privacy-concerns #automated-license-plate-readers #government-oversight #immigrant-communities
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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