S.T.O.P. Warns Adams To Avoid ‘Revolving Door’ Contract For School Bus Surveillance

BusPatrol is expected to bid on a citywide program to expand the use of automated cameras on New York City School buses.

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Warns Adams To Avoid ‘Revolving Door’ Contract For School Bus Surveillance (New York, NY, 10/2/2024) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, warned the Adams administration to avoid a “revolving door” contract with BusPatrol, a surveillance tech firm led by Justin Meyers, former chief of staff to Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks. BusPatrol is expected to bid on a citywide program to expand the use of automated cameras on New York City School buses. Banks came under renewed scrutiny after federal agents searched his and his relatives’ homes in September. SEE: The New York Daily News - Tech firm may bid on NYC school bus camera program after hiring top aide to Deputy Mayor Phil Banks https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/09/30/tech-firm-may-bid-on-nyc-school-bus-camera-program-hiring-justin-meyers-deputy-mayor-phil-banks/ “Given the corruption allegations we’ve already seen, City Hall can’t afford another revolving door contract,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “If the city continues to award contracts to politically connected firms, despite numerous federal investigations, it’ll deepen New Yorkers’ alarm. Unfortunately, we see a real pattern of tech firms leveraging access to push invasive products that surveil more and more New Yorkers.” On Monday, the civil rights group condemned the Adams administration for testing controversial AI surveillance software on cameras in migrant shelters after the mayor was lobbied by Remark Holdings, a Chinese fire and police surveillance firm. In 2022, S.T.O.P. released Privatizing The Surveillance State, a research report detailing how police foundations funnel money from donors to police departments, bypassing democratic oversight by elected officials to invest in dangerous surveillance tools. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams For Testing AI Surveillance On Migrants https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2024/9/30/stop-condemns-adams-for-testing-ai-surveillance-on-migrants Research Report – Privatizing The Surveillance State: How Police Foundations Undermine Rule of Law https://www.stopspying.org/privatizing-surveillance-state Last year, the civil rights group launched a day of action to highlight NYPD’s biased enforcement of traffic laws, issuing mock “community tickets” to officers with obstructed plates. Last fall, S.T.O.P. welcomed the New York State Education Department’s state-wide regulatory ban on facial recognition in k-12 schools but continues to pressure the state legislature for a full legislative ban.  SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. ‘Day Of Action’ Highlights Biased NYPD License Plate Ticketing https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/2/16/stop-day-of-action-highlights-biased-nypd-license-plate-ticketing Press Release - S.T.O.P. Welcomes NY Schools’ Face Rec Ban, Calls For City-Wide Legislation https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/9/27/stop-welcomes-ny-schools-face-rec-ban-calls-for-city-wide-legislation-1 Newsday - New York should ban biometric surveillance in schools https://www.newsday.com/opinion/commentary/guest-essays/biometric-surveillance-schools-yte5q4zn 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.