The article discusses the intersection of police surveillance and the “Internet of Things”, highlighting the privacy risks posed by always-on devices like doorbell cameras, smart thermostats, and digital assistants. It addresses concerns regarding the collection and potential misuse of data by law enforcement, the limitations of constitutional and statutory protections in regulating access to such data, and the lack of transparency from tech companies regarding law enforcement requests for user data.
Additionally, it emphasizes the growing need for updated regulatory frameworks and increased oversight to address the privacy implications of police surveillance in the digital age, particularly in relation to the civil rights of communities of color, to bolster his claims, the author highlights specific examples of law enforcement using data from connected devices in criminal investigations and the potential for private surveillance systems to further complicate the issue.
