Does Your City Need a Local Privacy Commission? Probably

Source: GovTech by Jule Pattison-Gordon

Cities are looking to ensure privacy is considered when weighing surveillance technology procurements and data handling procedures. Oakland, Calif., introduced a privacy advisory commission, but it’s not the only model at play.

Cities have faced public outcry over use — or proposed use — of surveillance technologies, and some are creating new privacy programs to help.

For several, this means crafting privacy frameworks and establishing privacy advisory commissions that convene local experts to examine how the city is using — or plans to use — surveillance technologies and give advice about whether the benefits are worth the risks.

In 2016, Oakland, Calif., kicked off what its chair, Brian Hofer, told GovTech was the nation’s first municipal-level privacy advisory commission. This year has seen a smattering of other cities follow suit with similar efforts.
But while Hofer says he would “recommend Oakland’s [privacy advisory commission] model across the board,” he also acknowledges there are vexing limitations to his city’s current approach.

Six years after that commission launched, what’s working, what’s not, and what can other cities learn?

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