The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed a lawsuit alleging the City of Sacramento misused energy records to accuse residents of cannabis cultivation. Local law enforcement, collaborating with the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, used high energy consumption as a basis for suspicion. The EFF's petition highlighted a reduction in the threshold for suspicious energy usage from 7,000 kWh to 2,800 kWh. SMUD analysts noted alternative explanations for high consumption, including air conditioning, Christmas lights, and large homes, indicating that accusations were not based on conclusive evidence.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has alleged that the City of Sacramento misused energy records to accuse residents of cannabis growth, resulting in disastrous outcomes for those wronged.
The EFF's lawsuit points out that law enforcement collaborated with the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District to monitor households with suspiciously high energy consumption that could indicate cannabis cultivation.
Documents revealed during the EFF's discovery indicate that the energy consumption threshold for suspicion was reduced from 7,000 kWh per month to 2,800 kWh without proper justification.
SMUD analysts acknowledged that excessive energy consumption could also result from air conditioning during heatwaves, Christmas lights, and other legitimate household needs, complicating the accusations.
#electronic-frontier-foundation #privacy-rights #law-enforcement #energy-consumption #cannabis-cultivation
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