END SURVEILLANCE
WE are a community group WHO Believe AI Surveillance has no place in Toronto.
MISSION
Too few people have been involved in deciding that AI-powered surveillance tools belong in Toronto. These decisions affect all of us. There are currently a range of of surveillance technologies being used here.
Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), Facial Recognition, camera-mounted drones, and more are being used by Toronto Police Services (TPS).
Private companies are leveraging the fear of crime in Toronto to convince customers across various neighborhoods to use ALPRs in their communities. These cameras will perpetually record and track people and vehicles using public areas (ex. streets, roads, parks) in Toronto.
These technologies’ invade our privacy and are prone to high rates of error and abuse. They are expensive tools being “offered” in place of proven solutions to crime; they narrow our understanding of what improves public life.
We believe that everyone needs to have in say in what makes communities safe. We believe in protecting our neighbours from invasive, error-ridden technologies that put us at risk of data leaks and unfair prosecution. Strong safety nets prevent crime—not technology that stigmatizes, stalks, and spies on us.
WHY is AI Surveillance A problem?
SURVEILLANCE TOOLS WILL NOT MAKE US SAFER
AI TOOLS USED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE CLIENTS CONDUCT MASS SURVEILLANCE THAT TRACK THE MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE AND VEHICLES — INCLUDING PEOPLE NOT INVOLVED IN OR ACCUSED OF ANY CRIME.
AI SURVEILLANCE DATA IS SHARED WIDELY
DATA FROM AI SURVEILLANCE TOOLS IS “INTEROPERABLE”: IT CAN BE SEAMLESSLY SHARED ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, REGIONS, AND NATIONAL BORDERS EASILY. THIS MEANS THAT OUR DATA CAN BE SHARED WITH POLICE FORCES ACROSS THE PROVINCE, NATIONAL AGENCIES SUCH AS THE RCMP, OR EVEN SECURITY DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY.
LAWS THAT CLAIM TO REGULATE THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT PROTECT US
LAWS AND REGULATIONS MEANT TO GOVERN THE APPLICATIONS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY DO NOT PREVENT DATA LEAKS OR ABUSE.
THERE ARE MANY WELL-PUBLICIZED INSTANCES OF DATA BEING HABITUALLY MISUSED TO STALK WOMEN, TARGET ACTIVISTS, AND MISIDENTIFY INNOCENT PEOPLE AS HAVING COMMITTED CRIMES.
THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT US FROM MISUSE OF THIS DATA IS NOT TO COLLECT IT.
MASS SURVEILLANCE IS A FEATURE OF AUTHORITARIANISM
SURVEILLANCE IS A HALLMARK OF AUTHORITARIAN SOCIETIES. IT IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH DEMOCRACY, CIVIL LIBERTY, AND FREEDOM.