“The public conversation comes last, not first—and only much later do we start to fully understand the damage these technologies can do.” Thank you, @lastweektonight.com for sounding the alarm on #MassSurveillance. Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnBP...

Police Surveillance Technology: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

youtube.com

ICE reportedly used surveillance tools and subpoenas to identify online critics—often without filing charges. “All of this is about people saying naughty things about ICE… Nothing that comes close to true threats.” Read more: www.gadgetreview.com/ice-built-a-...

ICE Built a $258 Million Surveillance Machine to Monitor Its Online Critics

ICE spent $258 million on social media surveillance tools to unmask anonymous critics, with agents visiting targets at homes and voting sites without filing charges.

gadgetreview.com

TODAY! Register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

S.T.O.P.—Surveillance Technology Oversight Project@stopspyingny.bsky.social · last wk.

The NYPD's Domain Awareness System paints a biased picture of crime. Join us next Wednesday, August 5th, for a #PowerDownSurveillance webinar on what can be done about the damage it inflicts. Register at the link: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Facial recognition is a major threat to immigrants in NYC. Federal agents have requested, subpoenaed, or obtained biometric data through a warrant. Databases have been hacked  documentedny.com/2026/08/03/n... @shahanafrombk.bsky.social @socialists.nyc @erinmcel.bsky.social @stopspyingny.bsky.social

Fearing Threat to Immigrants, Advocates Push for New Regulations on Facial Recognition

As face and voice scans appear at NYC businesses and residences, new bills take aim at reining in the new technology.

documentedny.com

The NYPD's Domain Awareness System paints a biased picture of crime. Join us this Wednesday, August 5th, for a #PowerDownSurveillance webinar on what can be done about the damage it inflicts. Register at the link in bio! us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

This Washington Post investigation exposes how officers allegedly used license-plate reader systems to monitor and stalk women—and why stronger oversight is urgently needed. Read the full story here:

How rogue officers turned a nationwide camera network into a tool for stalking

Flock’s array of license-plate cameras was built to fight crime. But at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing it and other systems.

washingtonpost.com

The NYPD's Domain Awareness System paints a biased picture of crime. Join us this Wednesday, August 5th, for a #PowerDownSurveillance webinar on what can be done about the damage it inflicts. Register at the link in bio! us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

“It’s really alarming the number of loopholes that law enforcement, at both the local and federal levels, have to gain access to license plate reader data,” - Will Owen, S.T.O.P, Communication Director. Read full story here: www.qcnews.com/charlotte/qu...

Questions raised over Flock camera oversight after CMPD officer charged

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer was accused of misusing Flock camera system data to aid a drug investigation target, sparking privacy concerns regarding the oversight of license plate reader…

qcnews.com

"In recent years, drones have become a really ubiquitous presence across the city," STOP Communications Director William Owen told Hell Gate. "We've seen them surveil backyard barbecues, protests, and even replacing human help as first responders." hellgatenyc.com/shark-drone-...

Welcome to the Shark Surveillance State. The Beaches Are Closed

Since 2023, three City agencies have used drones to scan the water, ruining everyone's fun.

hellgatenyc.com

A new Mother Jones article examines how Homeland Security agents reportedly tracked peaceful ICE protesters’ cars, identities, and whereabouts—without alleging any wrongdoing. An important read on surveillance and First Amendment rights. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Records reveal how Homeland Security agents surveilled ICE protesters

Spokane police documents show a DHS task force officer tracing protesters’ cars, identities, and whereabouts without alleging any wrongdoing.

motherjones.com

Research Director Eleni Manis spoke with ABC 33/40: “There is no federal legislation over automated license plate readers, Flock or otherwise.” Read more: abc3340.com/news/local/f...

Flock camera misuse cases renew debate over privacy and oversight in Alabama

Two recent cases involving alleged misuse of Flock license plate reader technology by Alabama law enforcement officers are renewing questions about how the came

abc3340.com

The NYPD's Domain Awareness System paints a biased picture of crime. Join us next Wednesday, August 5th, for a #PowerDownSurveillance webinar on what can be done about the damage it inflicts. Register at the link: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Communications Director Will Owen spoke with WISH-TV about the growing use of AI-powered surveillance. “No shopper should have to be concerned that going into a store will falsely flag them for the way that they walk, gesture, or move" Full story: www.wishtv.com/news/i-team/...

Indianapolis businesses use artificial intelligence to stop shoplifting

Indiana businesses are adopting AI software to detect shoplifting in real time.

wishtv.com

Join S.T.O.P. for Power Down Surveillance: Full Court Press in San Francisco on August 2nd! This event will feature a private suite experience at a Golden State Valkyries game and a short program. Get your tickets: bit.ly/PDSfullcourtpress

"Clearly the technology is not that helpful if it wasn’t needed at one of MSG’s highest-profile events of the year." - STOP Executive Director Michelle Dahl #FacialRecognition #MSG #MSGEntertainment #TaylorSwift #TravisKelce www.wired.com/story/for-ta...

For Taylor Swift, Madison Square Garden’s Controversial Cameras Briefly Went Dark

MSG’s sprawling surveillance system can monitor guests down to the second. Its owners made an exception for the pop star’s rehearsal dinner.

wired.com

ICE should not exist in the first place—let alone be trusted with our most sensitive health data. “If the federal government cannot be sufficiently careful, then it can’t use the information.” www.npr.org/2026/07/17/n...

ICE shared Medicaid data it wasn't supposed to have with Palantir

The revelations came out in a federal court case brought by Democratic states challenging ICE's access to Medicaid data to aid in deportation efforts.

npr.org

DHS expects to spend $1 billion in taxpayer money to nearly triple the number of surveillance towers along U.S. borders from 830 to 2,300, expanding a surveillance network that threatens the privacy and civil liberties of everyone in the border regions.

An Explosion of Surveillance Towers is Coming to U.S. Borders, Costing Over $1 Billion

A new report from the Government Accounting Office reveals that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to nearly triple the number of surveillance towers along U.S. borders, from the current ...

eff.org

Flock cameras are everywhere, and police are using them for all the wrong reasons. Mother Jones reports that dozens of cops have been fired for stalking exes, partners and romantic interests with the surveillance technology. Read more here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Police keep losing their jobs for using Flock cameras to stalk people

Advocates say it’s too easy to abuse automated license plate reader technology.

motherjones.com

Facial recognition at Madison Square Garden is back in the spotlight. POLITICO highlights STOP-supported legislation that would ban companies from using facial recognition and other biometric technologies to surveil people in public places. #Surveillance www.politico.com/newsletters/...

The push to ban facial recognition at MSG

politico.com

Still wondering what the Supreme Court’s Chatrie ruling means for your privacy? Read this great analysis from @jakelaperruque.bsky.social and Katelyn Ringrose. @techpolicypress.bsky.social www.techpolicy.press/breaking-dow...

Breaking Down the Implications of the Landmark Chatrie Ruling

Even as Chatrie bolsters Fourth Amendment protections, the government will likely rely on other arguments, write Jake Laperruque and Katelyn Ringrose.

techpolicy.press

The NYPD's Domain Awareness System paints a biased picture of crime. Join us on August 5th for a #PowerDownSurveillance webinar on what can be done about the damage it inflicts. Register at the link in bio! us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Meta's AI glasses aren't just changing how we use technology—they're changing what privacy looks like in public. As Fast Company asks: "Do bystanders meaningfully consent to being recorded?" The answer shouldn't be an afterthought. Read more at the link. www.fastcompany.com/91571430/the...

The many controversies of Meta's AI glasses

From court bans to paywalled features to LED light hacks, the camera-enabled eyewear keeps ending up in the news.

fastcompany.com

LAPD becomes by far the biggest law enforcement office to quit Flock.

LAPD ending deal with company operating license plate-reading cameras

The LAPD is ending its agreement with Flock Safety, a company that operates surveillance cameras throughout the city.

abc7.com

EFF helped expose Texas' use of automated license plate readers to track down a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion. Our friends at Mayday Health helped make sure pregnant people were aware of the surveillance risk. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...

"We Want Texans to Know Their Rights": Q&A with Mayday Health on the

Last May, EFF reported that a sheriff’s office in Texas searched data from more than 83,000 automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras to track down a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion.

eff.org

A concert or game shouldn't come with a surveillance file. New reporting alleges Madison Square Garden maintained records identifying LGBTQ+ public figures in an internal database. Read more at the link below. www.them.us/news/madison...

Madison Square Garden Allegedly Marked Celebs as “LGBTQIA” in Surveillance Database

New reports from 404 Media and Wired reveal a database that allegedly categorized 93 celebrity guests as “LGBTQIA.”

them.us

New York just became the first state to ban smart glasses in every courthouse. As wearable surveillance becomes more common, protecting privacy in sensitive spaces matters more than ever. Read more via Engadget: www.engadget.com/2211151/new-...

New York is the first US state to ban smart glasses in all its courthouses - Engadget

New York has banned smart glasses in all 1,240 state, county, city, town and village courts.

engadget.com

A new WIRED investigation raises questions about Madison Square Garden's surveillance and data collection. As S.T.O.P. Legal Director Darío Maestro said: "A company that cannot secure a customer list has no business scanning our faces." Read the full investigation: www.wired.com/story/madiso...

Madison Square Garden Kept a List of Gay Celebrities

An MSG database tracked and categorized hundreds of celebs, famous Knicks superfans, and even some of Taylor Swift’s wedding guests. Labels included “LGBTQIA,” “DO NOT HOST,” and low to high “risk.”

wired.com

"Biometric data is fundamentally different from other personal information. You can change your password. You can replace your credit card number. You can't change your face." @cmshahanahanif.bsky.social + @stopspyingny.bsky.social It's time to ban the scan. Tell @council.nyc.gov to pass Intro. 213

Opinion: The Knicks won. Their fans lost their privacy. It’s time to ban the scan.

A City Council bill would ban MSG and other businesses from engaging in biometric surveillance of their customers.

cityandstateny.com

BREAKING: S.T.O.P. Argues Texas App Store Accountability Act Should Be Struck #Surveillance www.stopspying.org/content-inpu...

S.T.O.P. - The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project

stopspying.org

Join us on July 8 for our Biometric Map Training, on how to use S.T.O.P.'s community-sourced Biometric Map to report sites of facial recognition, palm scans, and more surveillance tools across NYC. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi... #BanTheScan