Anti-Surveillance Summer 2025 Reading!

Anti-Surveillance Summer Reading

Friend,

Haven't found a good beach read this summer? Do not fear---since Memorial Day, S.T.O.P has been hard at work getting our anti-surveillance thoughts out there. We've published opinion pieces covering topics ranging from transparency in NYC government to the dangers of facial recognition use by ICE:

Slate - Facial Recognition Is Getting a Lot More Invasive Under Trump

Legal Fellow Jason Taper warns that facial recognition technology under Trump not only leads to wrongful arrests and misidentification—particularly harming people of color—but also may be used for political targeting. Taper urges the passage of “Ban the Scan” bills in New York to prevent authoritarian abuse.

Crain's New York Business --- In NY shops, your biometric data is another steep cost

Research & Advocacy Manager Corinne Worthington and Legal Intern Sam Shaffery warn that biometric surveillance in New York shops—tracking customers' faces and movements—poses a growing threat to New Yorkers' privacy and safety. Worthington and Shaffery call on New York State to pass legislation banning the technology in public accommodations.

New York Daily News --- N.Y.’s broken system of government transparency

Civil Rights Intern Alicia Abramson exposes how New York’s broken Freedom of Information Law allows agencies like the NYPD to stall public records requests for months or years, enabling unchecked surveillance and undermining government accountability. Abramson urges passage of the FOIL Timeline Act to restore transparency.

Detroit Metro Times --- For incarcerated parents, video visits can’t replace hugging your child

Alissa Johnson, legal intern at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, and Phil Mayor, senior staff attorney at ACLU of Michigan, co-author a powerful critique of video visitation bans in Michigan jails, arguing they violate constitutional rights, exploit families through predatory fees and surveillance, and cause lasting psychological harm to incarcerated parents and their children. Johnson and Mayor call on courts to defend in-person visitation as essential for family integrity, rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism.

We know this isn’t the lightest beach reading, per se, but our articles do make these shadowy systems of surveillance less opaque. For some extra summer reading, check out S.T.O.P.’s research reports and delve deeper into anti-surveillance topics.