SURVEILLANCE

May 18 2026POLITICS

Cameras Tracking Cars in Troy Stir Up Big Questions

Troy, a small city in upstate New York, is having a heated debate over tiny cameras that snap pictures of every car that drives by. These aren’t just any cameras—they can read license plates, spot bumper stickers, and even notice things like gun racks. The city council thinks the mayor might be over

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May 15 2026TECHNOLOGY

Elk Grove backs new security camera plan to tackle rising theft

The city council in Elk Grove recently agreed to a plan that puts more eyes on the streets. Starting soon, police will get live feeds from cameras set up by local businesses. The goal? To catch crimes as they happen and respond faster. Small shops can even get up to $5, 000 to help pay for the camer

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May 09 2026POLITICS

Police Cameras in Ohio Face Big Questions

A new look at how cities use license‑reading cameras shows growing worry. Shaker Heights and Cleveland keep using a system called Flock, but many people think it is unsafe. The cameras read plates and send the data to a big database that anyone can ask for. In Shaker Heights, activists search

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May 08 2026POLITICS

Colorado takes on pricing algorithms in fresh battle

A new bill in Colorado wants businesses to stop using sneaky tricks to charge different prices to different customers. House Bill 1210 would block companies from using personal data to set personalized prices on everything from groceries to ride-shares. Last year, a similar bill aimed at stopping re

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May 07 2026POLITICS

Police Contracts Under the Lens: A New Look at NYPD and ICE Ties

The mayor’s office has begun a fresh review of the New York Police Department, focusing not only on how the force handles immigration enforcement but also on its business partners. A key target is Vigilant, a California‑based company that supplies license‑plate‑reading technology used by police acro

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May 02 2026POLITICS

Government Extends Spy Powers for 45 Days

The Senate and the House have both approved a short‑term renewal of the U. S. government’s ability to conduct foreign surveillance without warrants, extending the program for 45 days. The Senate did so by unanimous consent, while the House passed its version with a 261‑to‑111 vote. After the extensi

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Apr 30 2026POLITICS

Quick Look at the New Surveillance Bill Rush

A new push to extend U. S. surveillance powers moved fast this week. House leaders got just enough votes to start debating the bill after a tight two-hour vote. The change would let spy agencies keep collecting data without first asking a judge. Some lawmakers only agreed after pressure from top Rep

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Apr 30 2026TECHNOLOGY

Staying Smart Without Big Tech Watching

Many people worry about how much power tech giants and governments have over our daily lives. These groups use artificial intelligence not just to recommend videos or predict shopping habits, but to track, control, and shape what people see and think. They claim it’s for safety or convenience, yet t

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Apr 28 2026HEALTH

Surveillance of Antibiotic Use in Developing Nations

In many countries with limited resources, doctors and pharmacists lack reliable data about how medicines are used. Without this information, it is hard to see where antibiotics are overused or where bacteria have become resistant. A new project plans to fix this by linking two digital tools: e

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Apr 28 2026POLITICS

When Your Phone Knows Too Much

Courts often struggle to draw a clear line between catching criminals and protecting personal freedoms. A recent hearing highlighted this tension as judges weighed whether police should need extra permission to dig into phone location details. The debate centered on a case from Virginia where detect

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