S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams’ NYCHA Surveillance Through Public Broadband

S.T.O.P. condemns Eric Adams’ expansion of surveillance in public housing through the free internet program he rolled out.

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns Adams’ NYCHA Surveillance Through Public Broadband (New York, NY 8/11/2025) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, condemns Eric Adams’ expansion of surveillance in public housing through the free internet program he rolled out with the New York City Housing Authority in 2022. According to reporting by New York Focus, the Adams administration is using the public broadband network to link NYCHA cameras directly to NYPD’s Domain Awareness System, the controversial central intelligence system that collects tens of thousands of camera feeds from around the city. The program, already launched in one NYCHA development, allows NYPD to view CCTV footage in real-time without NYCHA permission. SEE: New York Focus - Adams Quietly Uses Free Internet at NYCHA to Expand Police Surveillance https://nysfocus.com/2025/08/11/eric-adams-nycha-nypd-cameras-surveillance “Using public broadband does not mean anyone invited NYPD into their homes,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Communications Director Will Owen. “From robotic dogs to facial recognition, NYPD continue to use public housing as a testing ground to see how far they can go in spying on New Yorkers. Residents in NYCHA developments need safe, surveillance-free broadband to find information about education, employment, healthcare, and other daily necessities. Adams is turning an essential service into a harrowing invasion of privacy.” SEE: Gothamist - NYPD Deploys "Creepy" New Robot Dog In Manhattan Public Housing Complex https://gothamist.com/news/nypd-deploys-alarming-robot-dog-manhattan-public-housing-complex City Limits - Opinion: Biometric Surveillance Has No Place in New Yorkers’ Homes https://citylimits.org/opinion-biometric-surveillance-has-no-place-in-new-yorkers-homes/ In 2021, S.T.O.P. released NYC Internet Remastered: A Privacy & Equity Analysis of the New York City Internet Master Plan, a research report calling on the de Blasio administration to ensure strong privacy protections in its plan for public broadband. SEE: Report - NYC Internet Remastered: A Privacy & Equity Analysis of the New York City Internet Master Plan https://www.stopspying.org/nyc-internet-remastered?rq=nycha The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.   -- END -- Copyright © 2025 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.