S.T.O.P. Renews Warning Subway Metal Detectors Are Pseudoscience, Not Safety

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Renews Warning Subway Metal Detectors Are Pseudoscience, Not Safety (New York, NY, 4/19/2022) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based civil rights group, warned that New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plans for metal detectors and other gun surveillance systems in the subway are pseudoscience, not a meaningful safety measure. In response to last week’s horrific subway shooting, which injured dozens, Mayor Adams confirmed he is considering three undisclosed metal detector manufacturers during a press conference yesterday. The civil rights group warned that the error-prone systems are unworkable, invasive, and discriminatory. SEE: Gothamist – Mayor moving ahead on metal detectors in subway system https://gothamist.com/news/mayor-moving-ahead-on-metal-detectors-in-subway-system “This technology just doesn’t work,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “We all wish there was some magical technology that could do what the Mayor wants, but these systems simply don’t live up to the hype. These high-tech metal detectors mistake laptops, umbrellas, and countless other objects for guns. Using these systems would take tens of thousands of officers, transforming every station into a TSA checkpoint. New Yorkers shouldn’t fear being stopped and frisked every time they take the train, just because software thinks your MacBook is a pistol. And we know BIPOC New Yorkers will face the brunt of the surveillance burden, enduring constant harassment because of how the surveillance fails.” SEE: The Daily Beast - New Tech Won’t Stop New York’s Old Guns and Terror Problems https://www.thedailybeast.com/sorry-eric-adams-but-new-tech-wont-stop-new-yorks-old-guns-and-terror-problems?ref=home Politico - NYPD boosts mayor's security detail in wake of subway shooting https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/12/nypd-eric-adams-security-detail-subway-shooting-00024886 Earlier this year, S.T.O.P. condemned Adams’ proposed use of gun detection software as part of his Blueprint to End Gun Violence. The highly experimental gun detection technology has come under criticism for errors and lack of effectiveness, and initial data suggests that the software could easily mistake everyday items for a gun. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams’ Proposed Gun Detection Software https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2022/1/24/stop-condemns-adams-proposed-gun-detection-software 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.