S.T.O.P. Concerned By Proposed ‘Technology SWAT Teams’ For COVID-19

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For Immediate Release

S.T.O.P. Concerned By Proposed ‘Technology SWAT Teams’ For COVID-19

Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, expressed concern at New York State’s call for “technology SWAT teams” to support New York’s COVID-19 response. The request was posted on New York State’s website, calling for “impactful solutions” from “skilled tech employees.” To date, the state has provided no details on how SWAT Teams will be deployed, what data they will collect, and how New Yorkers’ information will be protected.

SEE: New York State Technology SWAT Team
https://www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-state-covid-19-technology-swat-team

New York State seeks tech talent for its COVID-19 technology SWAT team
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/25/new-york-state-seeks-tech-talent-for-its-covid-19-technology-swat-team/

“As New York deploys unprecedented measures in response to COVID-19, public transparency is more important than ever,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “If New York State is expanding its use of technology in response to the coronavirus, the public must understand how our lives are being impacted. Recent state laws gave Governor Cuomo unprecedented powers during this crisis, but with those powers comes even more need for oversight and accountability.

The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider hosted by the Urban Justice Center. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.

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CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn;

Presscommunications staffMarch 25, 2020