According to a study done in 2020, an individual in the US is caught on camera an average of 35 times a day. But when in more dense metropolitan areas, it is even up to 200-300 times a day.
NYC has over 15,000 NYPD surveillance cameras. And there are tens of thousands more by private entities. This is not even counting the household surveillance cameras like doorbells. So we can imagine the number of actually being caught on camera and surveilled is much higher.
Most of the surveillance cameras are installed disproportionately in Black and brown neighborhoods. Especially in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
There is a clear and direct correlation between stop and frisk in Black and brown communities and the number of surveillance cameras.
Remember what I always say is that every technology can be used to help, and also to harm.
AI tech like facial recognition and chatbots need to not only be created with equity in mind, but they also need to be implemented without oppressive tactics as well.
As someone who works in tech justice, I truly believe in the positive potential of technology. But we cannot continue to create conditions where technology replicates and then enforces our human oppression.
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