Seattle Dismantles Citywide Surveillance System After Activist Protests

After several years of protests from local residents, Seattle authorities have decided to dismantle the city’s large-scale surveillance system, according to the Seattle Times. The surveillance system included dozens of cameras and more than 150 Wi-Fi access points. The city installed the system in 2013 with a $3.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. However, it was never put into operation due to ongoing protests from civil rights activists, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Seattle Privacy Coalition.

While city officials claimed the surveillance system would help maintain public order and allow for quick responses to emergencies, activists argued that it would enable illegal monitoring of city residents. In addition to recording everyone within the cameras’ view, the wireless access points could track the smartphones of people nearby—including participants in protests.

Following public debates, city officials decided to dismantle the system. The cameras may be transferred to the Department of Transportation for use in monitoring road conditions.