Surveillance technology oversight
citizen petition
A bylaw TO REGULATE FLOCK SAFETY AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS
AND OTHER MASS SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
COHASSET CITIZEN PETITION
A transparent process for democratic review, approval, and oversight of surveillance technology
Invest in Cohasset proudly endorses the "Surveillance Technology Oversight" citizen's petition to add a bylaw that would require:
Strict data governance standards that limit data retention, set access restrictions, prevent unauthorized data-sharing, and include vendor contract data stipulations
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT
ACLU's
CCOPS
policy
bylaw inspiration
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Bylaw is modeled after the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) model ordinance. Adopted in 26 jurisdictions nationwide, including 7 communities in Massachusetts and counting. The ordinance aims to strengthen transparency, community buy-in, and data governance before deploying surveillance technology.
ACLU's CCOPS
policy
This citizen petition is NOT a ban on a specific surveillance technology or vendor. This is NOT a ban on Cohasset's automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) supplied by Flock Safety.
Instead, it takes a broad view to include oversight over various surveillance technologies capable of collecting, capturing, recording, retaining, analyzing, processing, intercepting, monitoring, and sharing location, movement, and biometric data.
Examples of the types of Surveillance Technology to be regulated by this proposed bylaw can include:
Instead, it takes a broad view to include oversight over various surveillance technologies capable of collecting, capturing, recording, retaining, analyzing, processing, intercepting, monitoring, and sharing location, movement, and biometric data.
Examples of the types of Surveillance Technology to be regulated by this proposed bylaw can include:
- Automatic license plate readers (ALPRs)
- Cell site simulators
- Gunshot detection systems
- Surveillance enabled light bulbs and fixtures
- Social media monitoring software
technology
covered
key definition
authorization process
democracy in action
Clear data management safeguards protect privavcy. Here are some examples required by this proposed bylaw:
sound data
governance
PROTECTING PRIVACY
- Limited data retention
- Data access is allowed by authorized personnel for specific purposes--not general browsing
- No unauthorized data sharing with federal, state, or local agencies unless disclosed and approved
- Tamper -evident audit logs of access and use are made available for public inspection
- Contracts with vendors must: prohibit the vendor from using, sharing, selling, or retaining data; require data to be deleted or returned upon contract termination; refrain from using Cohasset's data in commercial or product development purposes; and be limited to 1-year contracts
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