Draft issue 117

Author: dltj

assets/images/2025/2025-05-08-mittens.jpg

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+---
+title: 'Issue 117: Local Government Surveillance'
+status: draft
+modified: 
+category: Thursday Threads
+categories:
+- Thursday Threads
+tags:
+- government surveillance
+- law enforcement
+summary: ""
+bluesky: ""
+---
+After _DTLJ Thursday Threads_  issues on [digital privacy]({filename}2025-04-10-issue-114-digital-privacy) and [surveillance camera systems]({filename}2025-04-10-issue-114-digital-privacy), I'm focusing this week on the more general topic of government-sponsored or -enabled surveillance. 
+So that is the focus of this week's _Thursday Threads_ issue:
+
+Close the loop on surveillance by coming back around to local activity.
+- 
+
+Also on DLTJ since the last newsletter was published:
+
+- [My Public Archive of #TeslaTakedown Protest Signs]({filename}2025-04-11-tesla-takedown-protest-signs). Print one off and take it to <em>your</em> next protest.
+
+{{ thursday_threads_header() }}
+
+
+
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7v34a/fog-reveal-local-cops-phone-location-data-manual",
+ blockquote='',
+ versiondate="2022-09-04 00:55:37.168659",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20220904005539/https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7v34a/fog-reveal-local-cops-phone-location-data-manual",
+ anchor="Here Is the Manual for the Mass Surveillance Tool Cops Use to Track Phones",
+ post=", Motherboard: tech by Vice") }}
+
+The article discusses the user manual for Fog Reveal, a mass surveillance tool employed by local police departments in the U.S. to track individuals' phones without warrants. This technology utilizes data harvested from smartphone apps, allowing law enforcement to access location information quickly and easily. The manual reveals that users can search for devices in specific areas using geofencing and can tag devices of interest to analyze their activity patterns over 90 days. Despite its effectiveness in various investigations, prosecutors rarely disclose the tool's use in court filings, raising concerns about accountability and public awareness. The tool is provided by Fog Data Science, which collaborates with Venntel, a company that sources location data from app developers. The manual emphasizes the sensitivity of the data accessed and notes that surveillance can encompass large numbers of people, potentially overwhelming users with data. It highlights the ease of use for law enforcement, who can bypass traditional warrant processes in urgent situations. Additionally, the article mentions that Fog Reveal has clients across a range of jurisdictions, from urban to rural areas. Overall, the manual sheds light on the implications of such surveillance technologies on privacy and civil liberties.
+
+{{ robustlink(href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/08/inside-fog-data-science-secretive-company-selling-mass-surveillance-local-police", versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20220904005542/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/08/inside-fog-data-science-secretive-company-selling-mass-surveillance-local-police", versiondate="2022-09-04 00:55:40.764441", title="Inside Fog Data Science, the Secretive Company Selling Mass Surveillance to Local Police | Electronic Frontier Foundation", anchor="") }}
+
+
+
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://www.404media.co/location-data-firm-offers-to-help-cops-track-targets-via-doctor-visits/",
+ blockquote='',
+ versiondate="2024-12-11 00:08:38",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20241211000842/https://www.404media.co/location-data-firm-offers-to-help-cops-track-targets-via-doctor-visits/",
+ anchor="Location Data Firm Offers to Help Cops Track Targets via Doctor Visits: Fog Data Science is a location tracking company that takes data harvested from smartphones and makes it accessible to cops",
+ post=", 404 Media") }}
+
+Fog Data Science, a location tracking company, has been found to offer services to law enforcement that involve tracking individuals through their doctor visits. A document obtained by 404 Media reveals that the company seeks specific information from police, including the addresses of doctors and biographical details about persons of interest. This approach raises concerns about the potential surveillance of healthcare visits, especially in the context of rising scrutiny over reproductive health services in a post-Roe America. Fog Data Science utilizes location data sourced from smartphones, either through apps or advertising networks, to pinpoint targets. The company has previously sold its tracking technology to various U.S. agencies, including local police departments. The Project Intake Form provided to law enforcement emphasizes the need for detailed information to enhance tracking efficiency. It specifically requests data such as names, aliases, and any links to criminal activity. This practice highlights the intersection of health information and surveillance technology, prompting discussions about privacy and ethical implications. The ongoing push by Fog Data Science to market its services indicates a continued reliance on location data for law enforcement purposes.
+
+
+
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/08/new-york-police-tracking-voyager-labs-meta-contract",
+ blockquote='',
+ versiondate="2023-09-15 02:08:37.198586",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20230915020840/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/08/new-york-police-tracking-voyager-labs-meta-contract",
+ anchor="NYPD spent millions to contract with firm banned by Meta for fake profiles: Documents show authorities bought Voyager Lab products which the company claims can use AI to map online human behavior",
+ post=", The Guardian") }}
+
+The New York Police Department (NYPD) has spent millions on a contract with Voyager Labs, a surveillance firm banned by Meta for using fake profiles to scrape social media data. Documents obtained reveal that the NYPD entered a nearly $9 million contract with Voyager Labs in 2018, renewing it for over $1.6 million in 2021, and is still utilizing their services. Voyager Labs claims its tools can analyze online behavior using artificial intelligence to detect and predict crimes. Critics argue that the use of such surveillance tools raises ethical and legal concerns, particularly regarding privacy and the collection of personal information without proper warrants. 
+
+The NYPD's contract allows them to create avatars for data collection, a feature that has drawn backlash from social media companies. While the NYPD stated it uses these tools for public safety and investigative purposes, it has not provided specific details on their application. Additionally, the Queens district attorney has contracted with Cobwebs Technologies for similar surveillance capabilities, though it claims to only use publicly available information. The lack of transparency in these contracts makes it challenging to hold law enforcement accountable for privacy violations. Critics emphasize the need for clearer regulations surrounding the use of such surveillance technologies.
+
+
+
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://www.wired.com/story/real-time-crime-centers-rtcc-us-police/",
+ blockquote='',
+ versiondate="2023-07-12 02:08:38.272280",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20230712020934/https://www.wired.com/story/real-time-crime-centers-rtcc-us-police/",
+ anchor="The Quiet Rise of Real-Time Crime Centers",
+ post=", WIRED") }}
+
+"The Quiet Rise of Real-Time Crime Centers" discusses the increasing establishment of Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCCs) across the United States, which utilize extensive surveillance technologies to monitor urban areas. Originating from concepts like London's Ring of Steel, the first RTCC was created in New York City in 2005, leading to the current existence of 123 RTCCs nationwide. These centers aim to enhance policing efficiency by collecting data from various sources, including CCTV, drones, and social media, often employing facial recognition and predictive policing methods. While proponents argue that RTCCs allow for more targeted policing and reduce crime rates, critics raise concerns about privacy violations and the potential for abuse of surveillance data. The lack of public awareness and oversight enables these centers to operate with minimal scrutiny, leading to fears of mass data collection impacting citizens' rights. Additionally, there are worries about the security of the stored data, especially after incidents of hacking in law enforcement agencies. Critics also highlight the disproportionate focus on policing minority communities and the potential misuse of surveillance in political contexts. Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation advocate for stricter regulations and community control over surveillance technologies to protect civil liberties. Despite the ongoing debate, the trend towards RTCCs appears to be growing, often without adequate public discourse or legal frameworks to govern their operations.
+
+
+
+
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://therecord.media/west-virginia-law-enforcement-sues-broker",
+ blockquote='',
+ versiondate="2024-09-11 02:08:58.823813",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20240911021008/https://therecord.media/west-virginia-law-enforcement-sues-broker",
+ anchor="West Virginia law enforcement sues data broker for publishing personal information online",
+ post=", The Record") }}
+
+West Virginia law enforcement officers have filed a class action lawsuit against data broker Whitepages for publishing their personal information online without consent, violating a state law known as Daniels Law. Similar laws have been enacted in New Jersey and at the federal level to protect the privacy of judges, law enforcement, and other public-facing professions, following incidents where personal information was used to target them. The West Virginia lawsuit alleges Whitepages has published the home addresses, phone numbers, and personal details of thousands of active and retired law enforcement personnel. This type of legislation is spreading, and there are calls for it to be expanded to protect other public officials like public health workers and school board members. As consumer data privacy concerns grow, there may be increasing demand for average citizens to have similar legal protections against data brokers.
+
+
+
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-school-chromebook-gaggle-goguardian-securly-25a3946727397951fd42324139aaf70f",
+ blockquote='',
+ versiondate="2025-03-12 14:08:18",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/20250312140820/https://apnews.com/article/ai-school-chromebook-gaggle-goguardian-securly-25a3946727397951fd42324139aaf70f",
+ anchor="Schools are turning to AI-powered surveillance technology to monitor students on school-issued devices like laptops and tablets: Schools use AI to monitor kids, hoping to prevent violence. Our investigation found security risks",
+ post=", AP News") }}
+
+The article discusses the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools to monitor students on Chromebooks, aiming to prevent violence. It raises concerns about the associated security risks and implications for privacy. The investigation highlights how schools deploy tools like Gaggle, GoGuardian, and Securly to oversee student activities, which may lead to potential breaches of personal data and privacy violations. The piece underscores the tension between enhancing school safety and protecting student rights.
+
+
+
+
+## This Week I Learned: 
+{{ thursday_threads_quote(href="https://kotaku.com/the-makers-of-leeroy-jenkins-didnt-think-anyone-would-b-1821570730",
+ blockquote='It was one of the first memes ever, a viral sensation that went mainstream back when people still used dial-up internet. Yet the cameraman behind “Leeroy Jenkins” still seems stupefied that anyone fell for it.',
+ versiondate="2025-04-28",
+ versionurl="https://web.archive.org/web/20250429022100/https://kotaku.com/the-makers-of-leeroy-jenkins-didnt-think-anyone-would-b-1821570730",
+ anchor="The Makers Of 'Leeroy Jenkins' Didn't Think Anyone Would Believe It Was Real",
+ post=", Kotaku, 25-Dec-2017") }}
+
+What did you learn this week? Let me know on [Mastodon](https://code4lib.social/@dltj/) or [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/dltj.org/).
+
+
+## Another season of outdoor cat activity begins, part 2 {: #cats}
+{{ image(width="600", localsrc="2025/2025-05-08-mittens.jpg", alt="Black cat wearing a red harness and leash exploring outdoors, nibbling on grass blades in a lush green lawn with shrubs in the background.") }} 
+