More than 100 activists packed Ithaca City Hall to demand the removal of AI-powered license plate cameras, according to The Ithaca Voice. Demonstrators targeted the city’s contract with Flock Safety, arguing the technology enables mass surveillance and threatens privacy.
Protesters flooded the Feb. 4 Common Council meeting, chanting slogans and urging leaders to shut the cameras down immediately. The devices log license plates, vehicle details, and travel patterns, and critics fear the data could reach federal immigration authorities.
Several council members publicly sided with activists and said they support ending the contract, despite potential legal hurdles. City officials say police will follow whatever direction council ultimately takes.
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