AI can now detect “loitering,” “aggressive movement,” or “vehicle crawling.” While useful for security, this automation leads to over-policing of public spaces.
The golden rule of surveillance is simple: households now utilize some form of video surveillance
In the last decade, the home security camera has evolved from a niche product for the wealthy into a ubiquitous household appliance. From the doorbell camera that captures package deliveries to the pan-tilt-zoom indoor unit that checks on pets, over 30% of U.S. households now utilize some form of video surveillance. The value proposition is undeniable: deterrence of crime, evidence collection, and remote peace of mind. While the Supreme Court has ruled that there
This creates a legal and ethical gray zone. While the Supreme Court has ruled that there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in public spaces (what a passerby can see, a camera can see), the aggregation of that data changes the game. A single glance from a pedestrian is fleeting. A 4K camera recording 24/7 creates a permanent, searchable database of your community’s movements. you have created a tracking database.
Amazon paused sales of its facial recognition feature for Ring after backlash, but the technology exists. If your camera can identify your neighbor walking by and log the timestamp, you have created a tracking database.