Government Surveillance Icon

Surveillance

The advance of technology presents both opportunities for and challenges to liberty. As new technologies are implemented, their impacts on civil liberties must be considered. The ACLU supports uses of technology that enhance privacy and freedom while opposing those that undermine liberty and move us closer to a surveillance society.
Seattle has passed the strongest surveillance transparency and accountability protections in the country!
Judge fines Tacoma Police Department for withholding public records about invasive surveillance device
Seattle City Council adopts nation’s strongest law to protect utility customer personal data
Amazon Should Stop Selling Face Surveillance Technology to the Government
https://www.aclu-wa.org/sites/default/files/styles/alt/public/surveillance_1up_theyarewatching.png?itok=4BCEJygz

Resources

Bill to Regulate Drones Passes Washington State House with Strong Bipartisan Support

News Release, Published: 
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The Washington State House has passed HB 2789, a bill which puts reasonable regulations in place for government use of drones in Washington state. The measure passed overwhelmingly with strong bipartisan support by an 83-15 vote.
Read more

Balancing Police Oversight and Privacy: ACLU Offers Recommendations for Body Cams

Published: 
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Police departments across the state have adopted or are looking to buy on-officer recording systems, or “body cameras,” to provide oversight for law enforcement. These cameras can be very beneficial for accountability to prevent or identify police misconduct. But, they also pose risks to privacy for those captured in the recordings.
Read more

Surveillance: Spokane Acts to Protect Privacy and Provide Transparency

Published: 
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The Spokane City Council has passed an ordinance that will require Council approval to acquire and use some new surveillance equipment, such as drones and camera networks. We hope that more communities throughout Washington will consider passing similar oversight mechanisms with even stronger provisions and protections.
Read more

ACLU Urges Spokane City Council to Strengthen Surveillance Proposal

News Release, Published: 
Monday, July 29, 2013
The ACLU of Washington is urging that the Spokane City Council strengthen a proposal for City acquisition of surveillance equipment.
Read more

"You Are Being Tracked": ACLU Report Finds the Government Knows Where You Are Driving

Published: 
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
A national ACLU report on license plate tracking by law enforcement confirms that the problems we identified locally are reflected in communities throughout the U.S. Our study found that few police departments in Washington place any substantial restrictions on how the location information may be used.
Read more

Why the NSA’s gathering of metadata matters

Published: 
Monday, June 17, 2013
Goverment power that operates unchecked behind closed doors is inevitably abused. The recent disclosures about the secret NSA surveillance programs prove this maxim.
Read more

Speech and Privacy Protections Must Keep Pace with New Technology

Published: 
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Having recently started as the new Technology and Liberty Director at the ACLU of WA, I’d like to tell you how I think about technology and some of the key issues I hope to focus on in the coming months and years.
Read more

ACLU Urges City Council to Put Teeth into Surveillance Law, Delay Vote to Add Auditing Process

News Release, Published: 
Monday, March 18, 2013
The ACLU of Washington welcomes the proposal to establish a process for the acquisition of surveillance technology by the City of Seattle. Transparency and opportunities for public input are essential , as we have seen recently with controversies generated by the City’s acquisition of drones and  also a system of surveillance cameras and a mesh network.
Read more

Protect privacy as Seattle Police drones take off

Published: 
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Seattle can become a national leader in establishing tight regulations for police drones. City leaders should seize the opportunity without delay.
Read more

Eye-in-the- Sky Drones: Will Seattle Set Satisfactory Safeguards?

Published: 
Friday, May 4, 2012
A week ago, on a Friday afternoon, a reporter called us with news that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) had received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to employ two unmanned aerial drones it had purchased. City officials declined to comment. Did the ACLU have anything to say? You bet!
Read more

Pages