Smart City PDX proposes policy guide for surveillance tech
Source: Smart Cities World
Portland’s smart city team has developed the policy with the community, focusing on reducing harm to those most vulnerable to and harmed by surveillance tech.
The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s (BPS) Smart City PDX programme is proposing a new policy to guide the city in Oregon’s use of surveillance technologies.
It said the policy has been developed with and for the community and focuses on reducing harm to those most vulnerable to and harmed by surveillance technologies.
Purpose of surveillance technology
The City of Portland does not yet have a policy that guides its use of surveillance technologies. It defines surveillance technology as any electronic or analogue device, equipment, software, information or associated data system that is designed for the purpose of surveillance.
Smart City PDX reports that surveillance technologies have affected community groups in different ways, particularly their civil liberties and rights. These technologies disproportionately and negatively impact Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) communities. The City is working to create due processes and infrastructure to assess those public impacts to reduce risks and unintended consequences.
A new policy will add a layer of transparency by creating a surveillance technologies inventory and developing privacy impact and risks assessments
Smart City PDX has been collaborating with the Office of Equity and Human Rights to develop privacy and information protection policies, strategies, and tools to help the City manage information and technology more responsibly, with a focus on improving people’s lives.