S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams’ Subway Metal Detectors As “Knockoff TSA Checkpoints”

Today, S.T.O.P. condemns Mayor Eric Adams’ rollout of metal detectors from the scandal-plagued startup Evolv as “knockoff TSA Checkpoints.”

For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams’ Subway Metal Detectors As “Knockoff TSA Checkpoints” (New York, NY, 7/25/2024) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, condemns Mayor Eric Adams’ rollout of metal detectors from the scandal-plagued startup Evolv as “knockoff TSA Checkpoints.”  Evolv faces growing scrutiny, litigation, regulatory investigations for the alarming error rate of its self-described “AI-weapons detector”, a metal detector the company markets for dozens of times the cost of comparable, conventional metal detectors. Currently, Evolv faces investigations from the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission, and a lawsuit from a New York student who claims he was injured when Evolv failed to detect another individual’s weapon. The civil rights group warned that Evolv’s proven error rate will mean either long lines for subway riders, large numbers of weapons going undetected, or both. SEE: NY1 - Weapons detectors to be deployed in subways as early as Friday https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/traffic_and_transit/2024/07/25/weapons-detectors-could-be-deployed-in-subways-friday The New York Times - Gun-Detecting Technology Will Soon Appear in Subway System https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/nyregion/gun-detecting-technology-nyc-subway.html “It’s bad enough showing up early to the airport to clear security, but no one wants to face that to take the train,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “Once again Mayor Adams is peddling pseudoscience. Evolv is facing scrutiny and litigation from every angle. The Mayor should be launching an investigation of the money we already wasted on Evolv, not throwing away more tax dollars. People love the idea of a magical machine, but they’ll be furious of the reality of long lines and endless errors. This is such a bad idea that even Evolv warned it was a mistake.” SEE: IPVM – Sued: Shareholder Lawsuit Alleges Fraud By Evolv And Its Executives https://ipvm.com/reports/evolv-shareholder-suit Louisville Public Media - N.Y. student sues company that makes JCPS’ new weapons detectors, saying knife got through scanner https://www.lpm.org/news/2023-11-21/n-y-student-sues-company-that-makes-jcps-new-weapons-detectors-saying-knife-got-through-scanner FOX21 - Evolv Technologies (EVLV) Crashes After Disclosing SEC Investigation https://www.fox21news.com/business/press-releases/globenewswire/9078881/evolv-technologies-evlv-crashes-after-disclosing-sec-investigation-hagens-berman/ In March, S.T.O.P. condemned Adams’ initial proposal to test Evolv metal detectors on the New York City Subway. In 2022, S.T.O.P. condemned Eric Adams’ proposed use of gun detection software as part of his Blueprint to End Gun Violence. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams For Proposing Scandal-Plagued Gun Tech Vendor In Subway https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2024/3/28/stop-condemns-adams-for-proposing-scandal-plagued-gun-tech-vendor-in-subway The New York Times - New York Will Test Gun-Detecting Technology in Subway System, Mayor Says https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/28/nyregion/nyc-subway-gun-detector.html 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.