The secret architecture of modern urban surveillance
In short: Explore how the NYPD built one of the nation's most sophisticated tracking systems with almost no public oversight. This history reveals how massive technological shifts can occur in the shadows of local government.
Following the events of 9/11, the New York Police Department invested billions in tax dollars to develop an omnipresent surveillance infrastructure. These systems were adopted without the standard public consultations typically required for such large-scale projects.
For over a decade, the procurement of this technology remained largely opaque. The only records of these purchases were kept in offline filing cabinets, hidden from both the City Council and the general public. This history highlights a significant shift toward private technological adoption within public policing.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How surveillance crept up on us
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