S.T.O.P. Warns NY Plan To Censor Violent Videos Is Unconstitutional

*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Warns NY Plan To Censor Violent Videos Is Unconstitutional (New York, NY, 10/19/2022) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, warned that New York State leaders’ plan to criminalize sharing violent videos is likely unconstitutional. Drafted by New York Attorney General Letitia James at the request of Governor Kathy Hochul, the plan outlaws creating or posting videos of murder. The civil rights group cautioned that the bill was unlikely to help stem the threat of white supremacist violence, noting that such a law could be used to censor bystander videos of police murders, such as the 2020 murder of George Floyd. SEE: The New York Times - N.Y. Leaders Seek to Criminalize the Spread of Violent Videos https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/18/nyregion/ny-attorney-general-violent-videos.html “This is an unworkable PR stunt,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “If someone is already willing to commit a heinous crime like murder, why would they ever care if posting the video is illegal? We all agree we need to fight back against the deadly threat of white supremacist violence, but this law won’t do anything to stop the horrific mass shootings America’s gun culture makes possible. Even worse, this ban could be weaponized against witnesses who try to speak out against police violence. Such a law could silence witnesses who want to speak out about police failures, as with the parents who condemned the police response to this year’s tragic attack in Uvalde, Texas.” Last month, S.T.O.P. condemned Governor Hochul’s plan to install two surveillance cameras in every subway car, warning that the surveillance technology was “security theater” rather than a meaningful way to curb violence and other crime. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Hochul’s ‘Big Brother’ Subway Surveillance Plan https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2022/9/20/stop-condemns-hochuls-big-brother-subway-surveillance-plan The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. 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. --END-- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn   Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.