The many ways the government is watching us with an emphasis on digital spying
Santa Clara County may be the first in the nation to implement a transparency ordinance controlling the purchase and use of all spying equipment in the county. Continue reading Surveillance Equipment Transparency Ordinance May Debut in Santa Clara County
Crypto Wars 2 pit encryption advocates against the FBI which wants code written to break password protections in smartphones. Only weeks after the broad open letter was prepared: the issue broke when the FBI got a court order to compel Apple Computer to break its own smartphone encryption. Apple is fighting the order. Continue reading Don’t Undermine Encryption: Apple vs. NSA
Update: On November 17th the Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed a comprehensive privacy policy regulating the county’s use of cell phone interceptor equipment (often referred to in the press by “Stingray” or “Hailstorm”) before approving the purchase of an equipment upgrade. Continue reading Alameda County Board Of Supervisors Passes Most Comprehensive Cell Phone Interceptor Privacy Policy In the Country
Private Thoughts is a new privacy series of short videos on surveillance and privacy from Restore the Fourth SF Bay Area. On UASI (Urban Areas Security Initiative) and fusion centers and on federal and state level privacy legislation including the Surveillance State Repeal Act, CAL-ECPA and SB 34 and SB 741, which are transparency rules for the use of automated license plate readers and cell phone stingrays.
Press Release from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
WASHINGTON –A broad coalition of civil rights, privacy, and media rights organizations released shared civil rights principles for the use of body worn cameras by law enforcement. Continue reading Civil Rights Principles for Police Body Cameras
In the early hours of the morning of June 3, Oakland’s City Council, nearing the end of a 9 hour marathon meeting, approved unanimously the nation’s first citizen-developed privacy policy. Continue reading Oakland Passes Privacy Policy At 3:00AM
KQED News – January 9, 2015
San Leandro residents sounded off Thursday night about the potential purchase of an armored transport known as a BearCat, objecting to what they say is the militarization of local law enforcement
More than 100 people came out to the San Leandro Senior Center to get a look at the vehicle, called a MedEvac, which is advertised as “an armored Response & Rescue SWAT truck” and which police say will be used primarily for rescue operations throughout the region. Protesters chanted “No Thanks, No Tanks,” while police officials showed off two stretchers from the vehicle. Continue reading San Leandro Police Face Opposition in Push for New Armored Vehicle
When out-of-towners think about Oakland, stories about dangerous flatlands filled with guns and gangs have been regular images. But we can change the story and, slowly, we are.
One more opportunity to rebrand Oakland as a progressive and forward-thinking city lies in front of us next Tuesday, when the city will begin a review of the privacy policy recommendations developed over the past year by the Ad-Hoc Privacy Committee.
Continue reading Changing Oakland’s reputation With The Development Of A Privacy Policy
