Do you feel that your personal data should be accessed by the government? Do you believe you don't reserve the right to privacy?
We'd assume that your stance on both of these questions would be no.
Both the government and the NYPD in New York City use ALPR Cameras and Biometric technology to collect data on day-to-day citizens -- usually resulting in the discrimination of P.O.C and those in marginalized communities. 
What else does this mean? :This over-surveillance and targeting of those in marginalized communities could only negatively impact the wrongfully convicted/incarcerated rate of black and brown people in prisons, and, beyond this, without consent, uses and abuses our personal data. 
Over the years, since the introduction of the biometric facial recognition technology, many cases across the states have popped up of people of color wrongfully arrested due to the techs discriminatory miscalculations. To provide examples of this, the men Robert Williams, Nijeer Parks , Micheal Oliver and woman Porcha Woodruff were all wrongfully detained due to false identification data used through the facial recognition technology. All of these people were those of color -- Nijeer Park detained for a total of ten days and Porcha Woodruff detained while eight months pregnant. 

Of course, these brown people are only a few of dozens upon dozens of cases where people of color were wrongfully arrested due to the techs bias and wrongful identification software.

Though such cases are very disheartening, there  is potential for more optimistic outcomes.

While there aren't many laws/bills passed concerning this horrible surveillance, in our City of New York there is the POST ACT which was created exclusively to regulate the NYPD and the transparency they provide around surveillance.

However, the issue with this act is that it doesn't cover nearly enough. Even though it has been updated twice there is many downsides to it holes in its coverage.

For example, one of the acts biggest issues would be how it mandates transparency only for the NYPD-- and not any other organization or establishment. This effectively meaning that the tech when owned by anyone else can be used with free reign. Alongside this there are issues like how there is no explicit digital rights for how non-police collect and share the data assumed by the technology.

With all of this being said, my group The Sherlox want commander of the NYPD Jessica Tisch to enforce and strengthen regulations surrounding transparency around how data-gathering ALPR cameras are used. 

Our agenda is to push bills yet passed that basically end the wrongful surveillance-- bills like S.T.O.P BIOMETRIC FACIAL RECOGNITION - Residential Landlord Ban  and S.T.O.P BIOMETRIC FACIAL RECOGNITION-- Public Accommodations Ban .

These bills would ,one, end surveillance in residential buildings using the technology and, two, end the surveillance and usage of technology gained data in establishments and public areas.

Ultimately, we want to people to not only be fully able to decide how they want their data used but for it really to not be used against them at all in any discriminatory form.

Constantly, marginalized groups of people find themselves being targeted, prosecuted, and harassed all due to unwarranted bias.

With bias ingrained into technology initially assumed to protect all citizens it leaves us with no choice but to counter it if only for guaranteed protection against widespread discrimination.

Do you know who's watching you and your family?

Please, sign our petition to combat and express distaste for underhanded surveillance.