Ever get that feeling you’re being watched?
inewsource reporter Brad Racino found more than 7,000 cameras are watching — and listening — to you as you ride San Diego’s buses and trolleys.
Brad examined this $18 million surveillance system in a new in-depth report. It’s just the first of a series we plan to roll out in the coming year about the myriad ways government is watching, listening, tracking and documenting the public’s moves.
Today’s story is packed with interactive maps, video and audio.
Brad and KPBS videographer Nic McVicker rode the bus, interviewed people and then asked the Metropolitan Transit District for the video of themselves.
Why are we looking into local government surveillance?
This is from the story:
“Edward Snowden and the resulting NSA revelations provided proof of what’s possible when multiple modes of surveillance systems are integrated into one. Geolocation, facial recognition, emails, phone calls, license plate readers — all manner of surveillance can now be warehoused, analyzed, cross-referenced and flagged with little-to-no human involvement. A major problem with this inevitable future of big data, according to experts, is that it’s still governed by a Congressional Act from 1986 — back when the internet wasn’t even a thing.”
As we know, technology is changing as quickly as the wind. Stay tuned as we walk you through it.
In the meantime, tune in to KPBS Evening Edition tonight at 6:30 to catch Brad’s story on TV. Or read about it at http://inewsource.org/mts-san-diego-surveillance/.
And if you find this kind of reporting important, please support it by giving a tax-deductible donation today!
— Lorie Hearn, executive director
loriehearn@inewsource.org