Metro Atlanta residents are speaking out against the growing mass surveillance throughout the city.
Residents across metro Atlanta are raising concerns about expanding mass surveillance, warning that the growing program is leaving communities uneasy.
On April 13, the Dunwoody City Council approved a contract with Atlanta-based surveillance tech company Flock Safety. Meanwhile, in DeKalb County, the expanding network tied to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center is fueling concerns among residents who say the increased surveillance makes them feel watched rather than protected, Capital B News reports.
It “certainly feels like an invasion of privacy,” said DeKalb resident Brian Page.
For many Black residents, the project replaced a vital green space with a heavily monitored facility, that raised concerns about environmental impacts, public health, and increased digital surveillance in their communities.
Meanwhile, in Dunwoody, Jason Hunyar and his pregnant wife have been outspoken at city council meetings, raising concerns about Flock Safety. Despite resident pushback, officials approved the contract. In a statement, a Flock spokesperson disputed Hunyar’s claims, saying Dunwoody served as a demonstration partner and had authorized select employees to test new products and features.
“It’s baffling to me. Less than a week after we find out that Flock employees are watching children at a pool, they decide to continue to do business,” said Hunyar, who was outraged after learning Flock executives were logged into cameras at Dunwoody’s Marcus Jewish Community Center.
Hunyar said his concerns center on “security, auditability, and transparency,” arguing that those standards are essential in any system of mass surveillance. For Atlanta community organizer Kamau Franklin, the development is unwelcome but unsurprising, saying it aligns with the broader trajectory of gentrification in Atlanta.
“The surveillance system, the environmental issues, and the gentrification of Atlanta go hand in hand,” Franklin said. “The focus and money poured into specialized police units and cameras feels far outstripped by anything invested in housing, green space, or jobs.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
