Chinese Style Surveillance in America

1984 with Chinese Characteristics

Surveillance Tools and Systems

Can Freedom Survive?

1984 with Chinese Characteristics

Xi Jinping’s China is the first techno-totalitarian state. Their AI-powered system tracks each person’s movements using cellphone data, 200 million security cameras, and facial recognition.^[1] They collect personal data about each citizen through a multitude of methods.

Social media and online shopping data power China’s infamous “citizen scores”. Your messages, posts, financial data, and many other factors are used to determine how trustworthy you are. You have no rights; your score determines your privileges or lack thereof.^[2]

China extends its surveillance across the globe to control the Chinese diaspora, often with threats to family members who live in China.

China’s Salt Typhoon cyberattacks are still a major threat to US security. Targets include telecommunications, internet service providers, and transportation.^[3]

Surveillance in America

We are following in China’s footsteps. Use the subway in New York City, your identity, location, and banking information are collected. Security and traffic cameras will track you if you walk or drive. The police may scrape and store your social media messages. The Domain Awareness System stores and analyzes data. This system is used to predict future behavior.^[4]

The NYPD spent $3 billion on surveillance technology between 2007 and 2019. They listed expenditures as “special expenses,” often with little explanation about how the money was used.^[5]

Surveillance Tools and Systems

Police departments across the nation are deploying surveillance technology in large cities and small towns, red states and blue states. Below is a list of the systems they use, with links to the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Street Level Surveillance Report.

Each article describes how the system works, how law enforcement uses and shares the data, who makes and sells it, and the threat it poses to our rights.

• Automated License Plate Readers
• Biometric Surveillance
• Body-Worn Camaras
• Surveillance Camera Networks
• Cell-Site Simulators / IMSI Catchers
• Drones and Robots
• Face Recognition
• Electronic Monitoring
• Gunshot Detection
• Forensic Extraction Tools
• Police Access to IOT Devices
• Predictive Policing
• Community Surveillance Apps
• Real-Time Location Tracking
• Social Media Monitoring
• Police Data

More Eyes

Authorities can access many privately owned surveillance cameras without a warrant. Your Amazon Ring doorbell might be used. Ring eliminated warrantless access several years ago, but they reversed their policy in the past year.^[6]

Can Freedom Survive?

These technologies can help catch bad guys; they can also be misused by bad actors. They are prone to errors that can lead to the arrest of innocent persons, and they invade the privacy of every American.

Federal, state, and local agencies share our data with little oversight. A system capable of totalitarian control is being built with our tax dollars.

We are rushing towards a dystopian future that already exists in China. Are you ready to submit to Big Brother? Should we trust Donald Trump with these surveillance technologies?

We should debate surveillance and privacy in every election - federal, state, and local. The Republican and Democratic parties are not protecting our rights. We must nominate candidates who respect our rights in the primary elections of both parties.

Take Action: Tell your elected representatives to protect our privacy.