Original subtitles

♪ ♪

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

>> John: WELCOME, WELCOME,

WELCOME TO LAST WEEK TONIGHT!

I'M JOHN OLIVER, THANKS FOR

JOINING US!

IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK.

ZELENSKY AND NETANYAHU MET WITH

TRUMP, WE SAW THE INCREDIBLE

HEADLINE "KASH PATEL LOSES

LAWSUIT AGAINST MAN WHO CALLED

HIM "GOOGLY EYED CHUD"-- WHICH

I THINK MEANS THAT'S HIS LEGAL

NAME NOW.

AND THIS HAPPENED:

>> THE CHASE FOR THE SQUIRREL IS

ON.

AND THE SQUIRREL IS IN THE

CORNER, AND THE SQUIRREL IS

STILL ELUDING AN ENTIRE HOARD OF

GROUNDS CREW MEMBERS.

AND THE SQUIRREL IS FREE ONCE

AGAIN.

HEMMED IN?

NO I WON'T BE HEMMED IN, I HAVE

FREEDOM ON MY MIND.

TRYING TO GO IN BETWEEN THE LEGS

AND EVENTUALLY...

HE GETS AWAY AGAIN!

AND HOPS THROUGH THE TOWEL!

AND HOPS THROUGH ANOTHER TOWEL!

>> John: OH, K, I THINK FROM

NOW ON EVERY BASEBALL GAME

SHOULD JUST BE A BUNCH OF ADULTS

TRYING TO TRAP A SQUIRREL WITH A

TOWEL.

AND CREDIT TO THAT ANNOUNCER FOR

NARRATING THAT LIKE IT WAS "THE

ODYSSEY".

IT TAKES VISION TO SEE A

SQUIRREL EVADING A GROUNDS CREW

AND TO SHOUT, "I HAVE FREEDOM ON

MY MIND!"

SADLY, THE SQUIRREL WAS

EVENTUALLY CAUGHT, BUT BY THE

TOP OF THE EIGHTH INNING, THE

TIGERS MASCOT WAS HOLDING UP A

SIGN SAYING "FREE THE SQUIRREL."

WHICH IS EXCELLENT-- AND A SIGN

WE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE TO BORROW

SOON IF BUC-EE'S COMES FOR OUR

MR. NUTTERBUTTER MERCH.

STILL AVAILABLE BY THE WAY,

UNTIL IT LEGALLY ISN'T!

MEANWHILE, AMERICA'S CYCLOSPORA

OUTBREAK CONTINUED TO SPREAD.

>> THE CDC SAYS FOUR MORE

STATES: ILLINOIS, KANSAS,

OKLAHOMA, AND PENNSYLVANIA ARE

LINKED TO THAT SPIKE IN

CYCLOSPORIASIS CASES ACROSS A

TOTAL OF NINE STATES CAUSED BY

SHREDDED ICEBERG LETTUCE SOURCED

BY TAYLOR FARMS.

NEARLY 2,000 PEOPLE IN THOSE

STATES GOT SICK AFTER EATING THE

LETTUCE AT TACO BELL WHICH HAS

REMOVED ALL AFFECTED PRODUCTS

BUT THAT IS JUST THE FRACTION OF

THE RECORD BREAKING NEARLY

12,000 POTENTIAL CASES OF THIS

PARASITE NATIONWIDE AND THAT

NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO GO UP.

SO, IF YOU'RE EATING AT A

RESTAURANT, IT IS RECOMMENDED

THAT YOU ASK THE SOURCE OF THEIR

LETTUCE, OR YOU EAT COOKED

VEGETABLES FOR NOW.

>> JOHN: YEAH.

THE BEST ADVICE THEY HAVE FOR

YOU RIGHT NOW IS TO BASICALLY

PLAY LETTUCE DETECTIVE AT EVERY

RESTAURANT.

AND WHAT'RE YOU REALLY EXPECTING

THEM TO SAY?

"AW, SHIT, WE ACTUALLY GET IT

FROM SAM'S PARASITE BARN.

WE WERE HOPING NO ONE WOULD

ASK."

BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, YOUR

SERVER DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE

RESTAURANT SOURCES THEIR

LETTUCE.

THEIR MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE

BARTENDER THEY FUCKED LAST WEEK

STOPPED WORKING MONDAYS, AND

THEIR MANAGER WON'T RELEASE NEXT

MONTH'S SCHEDULE UNLESS EVERYONE

GOES TO HER POETRY NIGHT.

SO WHY NOT GIVE THEM ALL A BREAK

AND JUST ORDER SOUP?

NOW, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT

CYCLOSPORIASIS, THE SYMPTOMS ARE

UNPLEASANT TO SAY THE LEAST:

>> IT GIVES YOU, AND I'M SORRY

TO HAVE TO SAY THIS,

DEBILITATING, EXPLOSIVE DIARRHEA

THAT CAN LAST FOR WEEKS.

>> I WASN'T FEELING WELL.

THE PAIN IN MY STOMACH WAS LIKE

UNBEARABLE.

>> I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO SPRINT

TO THE BATHROOM.

IT WAS HORRIBLE.

>> THE PEOPLE SAYING, "OH, I

WANT TO GET THE PARASITE, I WANT

TO LOSE WEIGHT."

NO YOU DON'T.

>> JOHN: YEAH, OF COURSE YOU

DON'T.

NOBODY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE

PEOPLE WHO POOPED SO WEIRD THAT

THEY MADE IT ONTO THE NEWS AND

THINK: "SHOULD'VE BEEN ME."

AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST EVEN DESCRIBED

THE SYMPTOMS AS, "IT'S

UNCONTROLLABLE AND IT'S VERY

LIQUID.

IF YOU'VE SEEN PICTURES FROM

CHOLERA WARDS, WHERE THE

PATIENTS ARE ON GURNEYS, AND THE

GURNEY HAS A HOLE WHERE YOUR

BUTT GOES, AND THERE'S A BUCKET

UNDERNEATH THE HOLE, IT'S VERY

SIMILAR."

AND NO OFFENSE, BUT I DON'T

THINK THAT EPIDEMIOLOGIST SHOULD

BE ALLOWED TO GIVE STATEMENTS

ANYMORE.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING

LIKE, "IT'LL CAUSE DIGESTIVE

ISSUES," NOT "TACO BELL MADE

AMERICANS SHIT SO HARD AND WET

THEY NEED ASSLESS BEDS LIKE A

19TH CENTURY POOP WARD."

IT'S NO WONDER TACO BELL VISITS

BRIEFLY DROPPED BY NEARLY A

THIRD, AND THE COMPANY'S GONE

OUT OF ITS WAY TO TRY AND

REASSURE PEOPLE.

>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE A STATEMENT

FROM TACO BELL THAT THEY PUT OUT

NOT LONG AGO SAYING, "WE WANT

YOU TO HEAR IT FROM US.

WE TAKE YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY

SERIOUSLY AND HAVE REMOVED ALL

AFFECTED TAYLOR FARMS LETTUCE

FROM TACO BELL STORES.

SO GO AHEAD AND ENJOY YOUR TACO

BELL TODAY.

YOU ALWAYS GOT US.

WE ALWAYS GOT YOU.

SEE YOU IN THE DRIVE-THRU.

>> JOHN: NO YOU FUCKING WON'T!

AND THERE'S TRULY NO MORE

EFFICIENT WAY TO SAY THERE'S A

NATIONWIDE DIARRHEA EPIDEMIC

THAN THE PHRASE "WE HAVE A

STATEMENT FROM TACO BELL."

BECAUSE IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE

GOOD NEWS.

IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE "WE HAVE

A STATEMENT FROM TACO BELL: THEY

FOUND AMELIA EARHART.

SHE'S 129 AND HOUSING A

CRUNCHWRAP.

SHE JUST LOST TRACK OF TIME!"

BUT IT'S NOT JUST A NOTES APP

NON-APOLOGY-- TO WIN CUSTOMERS

BACK, TACO BELL'S EVEN BEEN

OFFERING $1 MENU ITEM DEALS FOR

ITEMS THAT DON'T CONTAIN ANY

LETTUCE.

LIKE THIS ENCHIRITO-- WHICH

LOOKS LIKE A MURDERED BURRITO

DYING IN A POOL OF ITS OWN BLOOD

-- AND THIS MEXICAN PIZZA--

WHICH LOOKS LIKE A PLATE OF

NACHOS THAT STUDIED ABROAD IN

ROME FOR SIX MONTHS AND NOW

CALLS ITSELF PIZZA.

AND LOOK-- I'LL GIVE TACO BELL

CREDIT FOR ONE THING.

THEY PROACTIVELY ADDRESSED THIS

PROBLEM.

AND TO BE FAIR: CYCLOSPORA IS

HARD TO TRACK.

AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT

BEFORE, THE FDA'S BEEN

UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES NOW.

BUT THIS SECOND TRUMP

ADMINISTRATION HAS SOMEHOW

MANAGED TO MAKE A BAD SITUATION

SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE.

>> IN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND

TERM, THE FDA HAS LOST ABOUT 20%

OF ITS STAFF.

THE CDC IS DOWN 25%.

THE CDC USED TO HAVE 11

SCIENTISTS TRACKING FOOD

PARASITES.

NOW IT'S THREE.

>> JOHN: WAIT, ONLY "THREE"

PEOPLE!?

THAT'S CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH!

IT REALLY FEELS LIKE WE

SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIT THE

CDC'S ENTIRE PARASITE TRACKING

TEAM COMFORTABLY ONTO A PORCH

GLIDER.

LOOK, AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE, A

GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS ONE

YOU DON'T NOTICE.

A BAD ONE MAKES HEADLINES.

AND BOY ARE WE SEEING THAT NOW.

AND MEANWHILE, SECRETARY OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ROBERT

KENNEDY-- OR AS HIS FRIENDS

CALL HIM...

HAS TRIED TO REASSURE PEOPLE.

BUT JUST THE DAY AFTER HE

CLAIMED THE CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK

WAS "UNDER CONTROL", THE FDA

ANNOUNCED IT WAS INVESTIGATING A

NEW OUTBREAK, WITH CASES ONLY

GROWING SINCE.

AND LOOK-- CLEARLY, NONE OF

THIS IS IDEAL.

AND IT SAYS SOMETHING PRETTY

GRIM ABOUT AMERICA THAT WHEN IT

COMES TO ACTING SWIFTLY TO

PREVENT A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT,

THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT JUST LOST

THE MORAL HIGH GROUND TO FUCKING

TACO BELL.

BUT SINCE THEY SEEM TO BE IN THE

MOOD TO MAKE AMENDS TO CUSTOMERS

RIGHT NOW, WE FIGURED THE LEAST

WE COULD DO IS HELP THEM OUT.

>> HEY AMERICA, WE AT TACO BELL

WANT YOU TO KNOW WE CARE ABOUT

YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY.

THAT'S RIGHT, THE INVENTORS OF

FIERY DORITOS LOCOS TACOS CARE

ABOUT YOUR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING.

SO WE ARE HERE TO SAY, WE ARE

SORRY.

WE ARE GOING TO LIVE CONTRITO,

WHICH IS HOW A CHIHUAHUA WOULD

SAY SORRY IF HE HADN'T DIED

RUSHING THE COCKPIT IN 911.

WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF OUR

FOOD, MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN

SHITTING YOUR BRAINS OUT IN A

WAY THAT WE NEVER INTENDED.

BECAUSE TACO BELL HAS ALWAYS

PRIDED ITSELF ON TWO THINGS.

HAVING THE WETTEST FOOD IN

AMERICA, AND ONLY GIVING YOU THE

REGULAR, NORMAL LEVEL OF

DIARRHEA.

THAT'S WHY WE TEMPORARILY

REMOVED LETTUCE FROM OUR FOOD.

SO WHILE YOU ARE POWERING

THROUGH OUR MEXICAN FOOD

ADJACENT MENU, INCLUDING OUR--

JESUS CHRIST-- SAUSAGE

CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME, YOU CAN FEEL

CONFIDENT YOU WERE AVOIDING ONE

NARROW DEFINITION OF

GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE.

AGAIN, WE ARE NOT PROMISING YOU

WON'T GET REGULAR DIARRHEA.

I MEAN, YOU'VE SEEN OUR FOOD,

RIGHT?

THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE MENU

CALLED DIABLO DUSTED CHICKEN

NUGGETS, OKAY?

WE ARE JUST SAYING.

WE WILL TRY NOT TO GIVE YOU THE

KIND OF DIARRHEA THAT WILL PUT

YOU ON THE NEWS.

AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, THEN

FRANKLY THAT'S ON YOU, BIG GUY!

FOR EATING SOMETHING CALLED THE

BEEFY POTATO LOADED THRILLER.

AND YOU EXPECTED NOT TO SHIT

YOUR PANTS?

TACO BELL.

WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO GO

WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK?

FUCKING WENDY'S?

GET OUT OF HERE!

>> JOHN: MOVING ON.

OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS

SURVEILLANCE.

Y'KNOW, THE THING THIS PERVERT

DOES ALL YEAR LONG.

HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU'RE

SLEEPING, HE KNOWS WHEN YOU'RE

JACKIN' IT TO THE GILDED AGE.

SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO

LOOK AT POLICE SURVEILLANCE

TECHNOLOGY.

IT TAKES MANY FORMS, FROM

CAMERAS, TO FACIAL RECOGNITION,

TO EVEN THIS:

>> THE ROBOT ITSELF WAS GIVEN

THE NAME HP ROBOCOP, FOR

HUNTINGTON PARK.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, RATHER A

FUTURISTIC PIECE OF EQUIPMENT

THAT ESSENTIALLY IS A

SOPHISTICATED CURRENT-TIME

HIGH-DEFINITION CAMERA SYSTEM.

>> PLEASE HELP KEEP THE PARK

CLEAN.

>> SO, INITIALLY, THERE WAS SOME

NEGATIVE SORT OF REACTION TO THE

ROBOT.

THE ROBOT WAS VANDALIZED AND IT

WAS TIPPED OVER.

>> JOHN: YEAH, OF COURSE IT WAS!

CAUSE LOOK AT IT!

IT'S A GLORIFIED ROOMBA THAT

NARCS.

AND DID YOU HEAR ITS VOICE?

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE

TO CREATE A DWEEBIER ROBOT THAN

THIS VIRGIN, BUT ENTER STAGE

LEFT-- THE POLICE EGG.

IT'S GOT THE BODY OF A WEEBLE

AND THE VOICE OF A HALL MONITOR.

AND IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO SAY THAT

BECAUSE... SAME.

THE POLICE LOVE USING

SURVEILLANCE TECH, AND IN RECENT

YEARS, THE PREVALENCE OF LOCAL

MASS SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS HAS

EXPLODED, THANKS TO CHEAPER

TECHNOLOGY AND INCREASED FUNDING

FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND THIS ALL TENDS TO GET

PRESENTED AS A BOON TO PUBLIC

SAFETY.

LOCAL NEWS LOVES TO COVER

CITIES' "REAL TIME CRIME

CENTERS".

HERE'S A STORY ABOUT ONE IN LAS

VEGAS...

HERE'S ONE IN DETROIT...

AND HERE'S ONE IN COOPER CITY,

FLORIDA.

AND IN THAT STORY, THE TOWN'S

THEN-MAYOR OFFERED THIS UPBEAT

ASSESSMENT.

>> EVERYONE IS BEING WATCHED.

AND IF YOU'RE DOING NOTHING

WRONG, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT

YOU'RE DOING.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING

WRONG, WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT,

WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE

WHEREWITH-ALL TO COME AND GET

YOU.

WE'VE GOT ESSENTIALLY BIG

BROTHER ON STEROIDS.

>> JOHN: OKAY, I'M NOT SURE

THAT'S QUITE THE SELL HE THINKS

IT IS.

FOR ONE THING, "BIG BROTHER" IS

PRETTY FAMOUSLY NOT THE HERO OF

1984.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, A LOT OF THE

TECHNOLOGIES THAT FEED INTO

THOSE CENTERS HAVE SIGNIFICANT

PROBLEMS-- FROM CIVIL LIBERTIES

ISSUES, TO THE WAY THAT MORE

RECENTLY, THEY'VE BEEN

WEAPONIZED TO TARGET IMMIGRANTS.

AND IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE NOW AT A

POINT WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE

MORE AWARENESS OF WHAT'S

ACTUALLY OUT THERE.

SO GIVEN THAT, TONIGHT, WE

THOUGHT WE'D DO SOMETHING A BIT

DIFFERENT, AND TRY TO GIVE YOU A

FIELD GUIDE FOR SOME OF THE MOST

COMMON SURVEILLANCE TOOLS.

SPECIFICALLY: CAMERAS,

MICROPHONES, LICENSE PLATE

READERS, "CELL SITE SIMULATORS",

AND THE PRACTICE OF "PREDICTIVE

POLICING" THAT COMBINES ALL OF

THEM TO MAKE THAT "BIG BROTHER"

ON STEROIDS LINE TRUE IN ALL THE

WORST WAYS.

AND LET'S START WITH CAMERAS.

YOU'VE UNDOUBTEDLY SEEN POLICE

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ALL OVER

THE PLACE, AND THE CASE FOR THEM

IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

HERE'S A POLICE OFFICER IN NEW

ORLEANS-- WHERE COPS HAVE

ACCESS TO OVER 2,000 CAMERAS--

PITCHING THE UPSIDE:

>> WE HAD A SHOOTING AT THIS

VERY INTERSECTION AT 4:30 IN THE

MORNING.

THE GENTLEMAN THAT GOT SHOT

CLAIMED TO BE THE VICTIM.

WE WATCHED THE VIDEO

SURVEILLANCE, WENT BACK AND

SHOWED THAT ACTUALLY HE WAS

ACTUALLY SHOOTING AT THE YOUNG

MAN FIRST.

SO IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HELPED

US EXONERATE THE GUY WE WERE

LOOKING FOR.

>> AND IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE

CAMERA, DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD

HAVE KNOWN THE TRUTH?

>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> JOHN: REALLY?

IF THAT'S TRUE, THAT SOUNDS LESS

AN ARGUMENT "FOR" CAMERAS, THAN

IT IS AN ARGUMENT "AGAINST" YOU.

BECAUSE YOU BASICALLY JUST

ADMITTED, "WE COULDN'T DO DICK

ALL UNTIL WE GOT THEM VIDEO

DOO-DADS."

BUT THE THING IS, POLICE DON'T

JUST USE CAMERAS TO FIND

EVIDENCE OF SOMETHING THAT

HAPPENED.

THEY CAN ALSO USE THEM TO FISH

FOR CRIMES THAT THEY THINK

MIGHT.

ESSENTIALLY USING THEM AS A

DIGITAL FORM OF STOP-AND-FRISK.

STAYING IN NEW ORLEANS, TAKE THE

CASE OF MICHAEL CELESTINE, WHO

POLICE THERE ACCOSTED, AFTER

THEY WATCHED HIM WALKING AROUND

IN A PUFFY JACKET.

YOU CAN SEE THEM ZOOM THE CAMERA

IN ON HIM, AND TRACK HIS

MOVEMENTS FOR 15 MINUTES.

AND THEIR JUSTIFICATION FOR

DOING THAT IS THEY CLAIM HE HAD

A SUSPICIOUS BULGE IN HIS JACKET

-- WHICH IS ALREADY A WEIRD

THING TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR

IN A STATE WHICH ALLOWS FOR

CONCEALED CARRY, BUT AN EVEN

WEIRDER THING TO DO WHEN THE

WHOLE IDEA BEHIND PUFFY JACKETS

IS THAT THEY BULGE.

IT'S QUITE LITERALLY, THE PUFF

PART.

PUFFY JACKETS ARE ESSENTIALLY

FASHION BUBBLE WRAP.

BABES, READ A VOGUE.

THE POLICE ULTIMATELY CHASED,

AND THEN ARRESTED AND TASED

CELESTINE, BEFORE FINDING A

WEAPON IN HIS PANTS LEG, ONLY

FOR THE DA TO ULTIMATELY DROP

ALL CHARGES.

BUT BECAUSE HE HAPPENED TO BE

OUT ON PAROLE, HE WASN'T ALLOWED

TO MAKE BAIL, AND HAD TO SIT IN

JAIL FOR A YEAR.

AND IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT

POLICE AREN'T JUST LIMITED TO

USING THEIR OWN SURVEILLANCE

CAMERAS.

INCREASINGLY, THEY'RE ABLE TO

USE THOSE OWNED BY PRIVATE

BUSINESSES OR HOMEOWNERS.

THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 85

MILLION IN THIS COUNTRY, AND

POLICE NOW ROUTINELY REQUEST

ACCESS TO THEM.

IN FACT, HERE'S AN AD FROM ONE

COMPANY THAT FACILITATES THAT,

FUSUS, EXPLAINING TO BUSINESSES

HOW IT WORKS.

>> SETTING UP FUSUS IS FAST,

REQUIRES MINIMAL HARDWARE, AND

HAS NO ACTIVATION FEES.

IN AN INVESTIGATION, POLICE CAN

AUTOMATICALLY REQUEST FOOTAGE

FROM ALL NEARBY BUSINESSES AT

THE CLICK OF A BUTTON, AND

CAMERA OWNERS CAN SECURELY SHARE

RECORDED AS WELL AS LIVE VIDEO

FEEDS TO AID IN THE

INVESTIGATION.

>> JOHN: YEAH, IT'S THAT EASY.

WITH A CLICK OF A BUTTON, POLICE

CAN GET ACCESS TO HOURS OF

PRIVATE SECURITY FOOTAGE.

AND LOOK, TECHNOLOGY'S MADE A

LOT OF THINGS EASIER TO DO WITH

THE CLICK OF A BUTTON, LIKE

ORDER MEDICINE, PAY BILLS, OR

BUY THIS INEXPLICABLE WALL DECAL

OF A SENIOR WOMAN WITH ASTHMA,

OR ONE OF THAT SAME WOMAN

WIELDING A FRYING PAN AS A

WEAPON, OR A DECAL OF DR. PHIL

AS AN M&M.

ADD ALL THREE TO YOUR CART, AND

NOW YOU'VE GOT A HOME WORTHY OF

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST.

TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING!

BUT IT DOES FEEL LIKE TURNING ON

THE PANOPTICON SHOULD BE A BIT

HARDER THAN THAT.

AND IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

FUSUS HAS GONE SO FAR AS

DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY THAT

ALLOWS AMAZON'S RING DOORBELLS

TO LIVE STREAM STRAIGHT TO

POLICE CRIME CENTERS.

WHICH IS A PRETTY WILD USE OF

SOMETHING I MAINLY ASSOCIATE

WITH BRINGING US VIDEOS OF

ANIMALS WHO JUST WANNA COME

INSIDE.

JUST FOR A MINUTE.

IT'S COLD OUT HERE AND YOU'VE

GOT TREATS IN THERE.

AND WHILE SOME BUSINESSES OR

HOMEOWNERS MIGHT WANT TO DO

THAT, IN OTHER PLACES, THEY'RE

NOT GIVEN MUCH OF A CHOICE.

RIALTO, CALIFORNIA HAS MADE

STARTING A BUSINESS CONTINGENT

ON SIGNING UP WITH FUSUS, WITH

PERMITS CONTAINING LANGUAGE

LIKE, "THE SECURITY CAMERAS

SHALL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE

RIALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT...

THROUGH FUSUS."

AND COME ON-- OPENING A SMALL

BUSINESS IS ALREADY HARD ENOUGH.

THERE'S CASH FLOW ISSUES, HIRING

AND FIRING AND OF COURSE,

DEALING WITH YELP REVIEWS THAT

SAY "WOMAN AT THE FRONT DESK HAD

A WEIRD EYE.

SCARED MY SON!

HE IS NINE!!!!"

BUT NOW, YOU ALSO HAVE TO DECIDE

IF OPENING YOUR NAIL SALON IS

WORTH BEING A NARC ON PASSERSBY.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST CAMERAS BEING

DOTTED ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IT'S ALSO MICROPHONES, LIKE THE

ONES OPERATED BY A COMPANY

CALLED SHOTSPOTTER.

IT'S USED IN OVER 200

JURISDICTIONS, AND THE WAY

SHOTSPOTTER WORKS IS, IT

BASICALLY SETS UP MICROPHONES

ALL OVER A CITY, WHICH ALERT

POLICE IF THEY SENSE A LOUD

NOISE THAT COULD BE A GUNSHOT.

AND SOME PLACES TREAT IT AS

HIGHLY RELIABLE.

IN HOUSTON, THEIR DEPARTMENT

DOESN'T DISPATCH OFFICERS FOR

ALL 911 CALLS ABOUT GUNFIRE, BUT

THEY TREAT EVERY SHOTSPOTTER

ALERT AS A TOP-PRIORITY REPORT.

ONE OFFICER EVEN SAID "NO MATTER

WHAT OTHER CALL YOU'RE ON, IF A

SHOTSPOTTER ALERT DROPS, YOU

GO."

UNFORTUNATELY, THE TECHNOLOGY

SEEMS NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS

YOU'D WANT IT TO BE FOR THAT

KIND OF RESPONSE.

AN AP INVESTIGATION FOUND THE

SYSTEMS CAN MISS LIVE GUNFIRE

RIGHT UNDER ITS MICROPHONES, OR

MISCLASSIFY THE SOUNDS OF

FIREWORKS AS GUNSHOTS, WHILE

OTHER REPORTING'S FOUND

SHOTSPOTTER BEING ACTIVATED BY

CARS BACKFIRING, OR EVEN PEOPLE

USING A NAIL GUN.

WHICH IS NOT GOOD.

YOU DON'T WANT HYPED-UP COPS

SHOWING UP, WEAPONS DRAWN,

BECAUSE DAD FINALLY GOT AROUND

TO PUTTING UP THE CHRISTMAS

LIGHTS.

AND THERE'VE BEEN CASES OF

PEOPLE SEARCHED AND ARRESTED FOR

THINGS LIKE DRUG POSSESSION,

SIMPLY BECAUSE SHOTSPOTTER SENT

POLICE TO THEIR LOCATION.

SO ITS INACCURACY CAN CAUSE REAL

PROBLEMS-- AND THE EVIDENCE IT

ACTUALLY PREVENTS CRIME IS

SCANT.

IN FACT, WHEN A LOCAL NEWS TEAM

IN MINNEAPOLIS LOOKED INTO

NEARLY TWO YEARS WORTH OF

RESULTS FROM ITS SHOTSPOTTER

SYSTEM, THE RESULTS WERE DIRE.

>> THE DATA REVEALS DURING THAT

TIME, MPD RESPONDED TO

SHOTSPOTTER ACTIVATIONS ROUGHLY

8500 TIMES.

THE DATA ALSO SHOWS ABOUT 80% OF

THE TIME OFFICERS DOCUMENTED NO

EVIDENCE OF A GUN RELATED CRIME,

AND ONLY 32 ACTIVATIONS TOTAL

LED TO AN ARREST.

THAT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE TIME.

>> THAT PERCENTAGE THERE, THAT'S

INSANE, THAT'S CRAZY.

>> JOHN: HE'S RIGHT!

IT IS CRAZY!

AND WHILE THIS ISN'T THE POINT,

THAT MAN SHOULD BE ASKED FOR

COMMENT ON LITERALLY EVERY NEWS

STORY:

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE MIKE

JOHNSON AND HIS SON MONITOR EACH

OTHER'S PORN INTAKE?

>> THAT'S CRAZY.

>> JOHN: IT IS!

REBA MCENTIRE PARTNERED WITH 40

FARMS TO MAKE CORN MAZES OUT OF

HER FACE?

>> THAT'S CRAZY.

>> JOHN: I AGREE!

HALF A MILLION ITALIANS SEEK

EXORCISMS EVERY YEAR?

>> THAT PERCENTAGE THERE, THAT'S

INSANE, THAT'S CRAZY.

>> JOHN: YEAH, MY THOUGHTS

EXACTLY.

THE POINT IS, IT SURE SEEMS LIKE

A TECHNOLOGY THIS FLAWED

SHOULDN'T BE DISPATCHING POLICE

ALL OVER A CITY.

AND THERE'S A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH

OUR NEXT TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMATED

LICENSE PLATE READERS, OR

A-L-P-R'S.

YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THEM BY THE

SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND COPS WILL

CLAIM THEY'RE A WAY TO FIND

STOLEN CARS, OR THOSE ENGAGED IN

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE MOST POPULAR ARE MADE BY A

COMPANY CALLED FLOCK, AND HERE'S

HOW THEY WORK:

>> FLOCK LICENSE PLATE READERS

DON'T JUST SCAN TAGS LOOKING FOR

STOLEN CARS OR VEHICLES ON A HOT

LIST.

THE CAMERAS TAKE A PHOTO OF

EVERY CAR THAT PASSES, STAMPED

WITH THE PRECISE TIME AND

LOCATION.

THE MORE CAMERAS YOU PASS, THE

CLEARER THE PICTURE OF YOUR

MOVEMENTS.

ALL OF THAT DATA IS SAVED IN A

DATABASE FOR 30 DAYS, SHARED

WITH CONNECTED POLICE

DEPARTMENTS, ALLOWING THE

GOVERNMENT TO GO BACK IN TIME TO

SEE WHERE YOUR CAR WAS AND WHEN.

NO WARRANT REQUIRED, WHETHER

YOU'RE SUSPECTED OF A CRIME OR

NOT.

>> JOHN: OKAY, FIRST, THE OSCAR

FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY GOES TO THAT

NEWS PIECE.

DRONE SHOTS, DRIVE-AND-TALKS,

AND A LICENSE PLATE CLOSE-UP

THAT'D MAKE TARANTINO BUST BOTH

NUTS?

CALL THE ACADEMY, THE RACE IS

OFFICIALLY OVER.

THE POINT IS, ALPR'S WILL SEND

UP A LOT OF ALERTS-- BUT,

UNFORTUNATELY, MANY ARE FALSE

ALARMS.

A RANDOMIZED TRIAL IN VALLEJO,

CALIFORNIA FOUND THAT 37% OF ALL

ALPR "HITS" FROM FIXED READERS,

LIKE THOSE ATTACHED TO A STREET

LIGHT, AND 35% FROM MOBILE

ALPRS, LIKE THOSE ON COP CARS,

WERE MISREADS.

WHICH IS AN ASTONISHINGLY HIGH

ERROR RATE.

AND THAT'S HAD REAL

CONSEQUENCES.

DRIVERS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY

PULLED OVER BECAUSE A READER

READ THE NUMBERS ON THEIR PLATES

WRONG AND TAGGED THE VEHICLES AS

STOLEN.

AND SOME OF THOSE INCIDENTS HAVE

BEEN HIDEOUS, LIKE THIS ONE,

WHERE THE POLICE WRONGLY ASSUMED

A CAR FULL OF CHILDREN WAS

STOLEN-- AND I'LL WARN YOU,

THIS IS HARD TO WATCH.

>> THERE'S KIDS.

>> IT'S THESE CRIES AND SCREAMS,

BRITTNEY GILLIAM CAN'T BRING

HERSELF TO RELIVE.

>> THAT'S TERRIFYING.

AS A PARENT, THAT'S

HEARTBREAKING.

>> GILLIAM SAYS SHE WAS

SEARCHING FOR AN OPEN NAIL SALON

WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT

ON BUCKLET AND EYELESS IN

AURORA.

>> AND SHE'S SCREAMING, LIKE,

"HEY, HEY AUNTIE, THE POLICE."

>> WHEN OFFICERS PULLED UP FROM

BEHIND.

>> THEY GOT THEIR GUNS ON US,

THEY GOT THEIR GUNS ON US.

>> GILLIAM WAS IN THE SUV WITH

HER SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER,

12-YEAR-OLD SISTER AND TWO

NIECES, ONE 14, THE OTHER 17

YEARS OLD.

POLICE SAY A LICENSE PLATE

READER ALERTED THEM THE SUV WAS

STOLEN.

>> JOHN: YEAH, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY

TERRIBLE.

AND YOU ALREADY KNOW THE POLICE

FUCKED UP THERE, BUT I PROMISE,

YOU'RE NOT READY FOR JUST HOW

DUMB THAT FUCKUP WAS.

>> IT TURNS OUT THE STOLEN

VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY A

MOTORCYCLE, NOT GILLIAM'S SUV.

BOTH VEHICLES SHARE THE PLATE

NUMBER, BUT THEY WERE FROM

DIFFERENT STATES.

>> JOHN: YEAH, IT WAS A

MOTORCYCLE FROM ANOTHER STATE.

AND THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE

FURTHER FROM AN SUV IN COLORADO

WOULD BE IF THE LICENSE ACTUALLY

BELONGED TO A HORSE IN

TENNESSEE.

AND LOOK-- SO FAR, I'VE BEEN

FOCUSING ON WHEN POLICE

TECHNOLOGY GETS STUFF ACTIVELY

WRONG, BUT IT'S WORTH

REMEMBERING-- EVEN WHEN THESE

SYSTEMS WORK PERFECTLY, THEY CAN

STILL BE WILDLY INVASIVE.

CAMERAS AND LICENSE PLATE

READERS CAN TRACK YOUR MOVEMENTS

WHEREVER YOU GO-- WHICH MEANS

THEY COULD FIND OUT IF YOU, SAY,

ATTENDED A PROTEST, OR VISITED

AN ABORTION CLINIC.

WHAT'S MORE, SOME COMPANIES,

LIKE FLOCK, MAKE A FEATURE OUT

OF THE FACT THEIR DATABASES CAN

BE ACCESSED BY NOT JUST YOUR

LOCAL POLICE, BUT ALSO BY THOSE

FROM OTHER TOWNS.

AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-- MEANING

AGENCIES LIKE ICE AND BORDER

PATROL-- HAS BEEN KNOWN TO USE

THIS NETWORK.

FLOCK USED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS

WITH THEM TO DO SO DIRECTLY, BUT

HAS SINCE DISCONTINUED THAT.

THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT'S STILL

ABLE TO USE THE NETWORK THROUGH

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND WHILE ALL THAT'S ALREADY

COMFORTABLY BAD ENOUGH, OTHER

TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE EVEN MORE

INVASIVE.

TAKE CELL-SITE SIMULATORS.

THEY'RE DEVICES WITH NAMES LIKE

"STINGRAY", AND THEY ALLOW COPS

TO BASICALLY SNOOP ON ANY PHONE

THAT'S NEAR THEM.

>> HERE'S HOW IT WORKS.

CELL PHONES ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO

CONNECT TO NEARBY CELL TOWERS.

A STINGRAY ACTS LIKE A CELL

TOWER DECOY IN WHAT'S CALLED "A

MAN IN THE MIDDLE" ATTACK.

IT TRICKS CELL PHONES INTO

THINKING IT'S THE NEAREST CELL

TOWER, PHONES CONNECT TO THE

STINGRAY, AND POLICE CAN ACCESS

A RANGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION.

BUT THEY DON'T JUST GET INTEL ON

ONE PHONE.

EVERY PHONE NEARBY IS FORCED TO

DIVERT TO THE STINGRAY.

CALLS ARE PASSED ON TO A REAL

CELL TOWER, DATA SCOOPED UP

STAYS WITH POLICE.

>> JOHN: YEAH, NOT GREAT!

I DON'T WANT A DECOY CELL TOWER

GETTING ANY OF MY CELL PHONE

DATA.

BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO ON YOUR CELL

PHONE IS YOUR MOST PERSONAL OF

BUSINESS.

YOUR LAPTOP?

THAT'S FOR BUYING PLANE TICKETS,

OR MAKING AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET,

OR BROWSING CIVIL WAR MAPS AT

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

YOU KNOW, BUSINESS SHIT.

BUT YOUR CELL PHONE?

THAT'S FOR YOUR MOST DEPRAVED

BEHAVIORS.

THAT'S FOR SEXTING, OR A PHOTO

OF A RASH YOU WANT TO SHOW YOUR

DOCTOR.

IT'S FOR A PHONE NOTE THAT JUST

READS "YOUNG GADDAFI HANDSOME?"

AND SOME SAVED PHOTOS THAT

EMPHATICALLY ANSWER THE

QUESTION, AGAIN AND AGAIN.

GOOD LORD THOSE THINGS NEED TO

GO TO THE GRAVE!

CELL-SITE SIMULATORS ARE A MASS

SURVEILLANCE TOOL.

AND POLICE CAN GET A LOT FROM

THEM, FROM WHO YOU'RE CALLING,

TO WHAT YOU'RE TEXTING.

AND THE THING IS, WE DON'T KNOW

HOW OFTEN THEY DO THAT, BECAUSE

GENERALLY, LAW ENFORCEMENT KEEPS

A TIGHT LID ON ITS USAGE OF

THESE DEVICES.

IN FACT, FOR DECADES, THE FBI'S

IMPOSED SECRECY OBLIGATIONS ON

STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES, MAKING

THEM SIGN NDAS TO PREVENT

DISCLOSURE OF ANY INFORMATION

ABOUT THE DEVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

AND SOME POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE

FOUND PRETTY CREATIVE WAYS TO

HIDE THEIR USAGE OF THESE

SIMULATORS.

ONE IN FLORIDA ADVISED OFFICERS,

WHEN USING DATA OBTAINED WITH

THEM, TO JUST DESCRIBE IT AS

"INFORMATION FROM A CONFIDENTIAL

SOURCE REGARDING THE LOCATION OF

THE SUSPECT."

AND IF YOU'RE THINKING, "WELL,

MAYBE COPS NEED DEVICES LIKE

THESE FOR DIRE SITUATIONS.

WHAT IF THERE'S A KIDNAPPING OR

A BOMB THREAT?"

YOU SHOULD KNOW-- THAT'S IN NO

WAY ALL THEY GET USED FOR.

BECAUSE ONCE COPS GET A NEW TOY,

THEY TEND TO FIND LOTS OF

EXCUSES TO USE IT.

IN AT LEAST ONE INSTANCE,

STINGRAY TECH WAS USED TO TRY

AND TRACK DOWN SOMEONE WHO STOLE

15 CHICKEN WINGS AND THREE SUB

SANDWICHES.

AND LOOK: IF YOU DO THAT AND GET

AWAY SO EFFECTIVELY POLICE HAVE

TO USE A HIGH TECH CELL-SITE

SIMULATOR TO FIND YOU, I THINK

YOU'VE TECHNICALLY EARNED THOSE

FUCKING WINGS!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

AND I KNOW I'VE ALREADY THROWN A

LOT OF PROGRAMS AT YOU TONIGHT,

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER

THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WORK

IN ISOLATION.

THEY CAN FEED INTO "REAL TIME

CRIME CENTERS" LIKE THE ONES YOU

SAW EARLIER.

AND SOME DEPARTMENTS CAN THEN

USE ALL THE DATA FED INTO THEM

TO ENGAGE IN OUR FINAL, AND

MAYBE DUMBEST, USE OF THIS TECH.

IT'S CALLED "PREDICTIVE

POLICING"-- BASICALLY, USING

ALL THAT DATA TO FIGURE OUT

WHICH AREAS OR INDIVIDUALS MIGHT

BE LIKELY SOURCES OF CRIME.

THINK "MINORITY REPORT" BUT

INSTEAD OF THREE PALE ORPHANS

HANGING OUT IN GOO, IT'S A BUNCH

OF BLAND-LOOKING COMPUTERS.

SANTA CRUZ WAS ONE OF THE FIRST

BIG CITIES TO LAUNCH PREDICTIVE

POLICING, BACK IN 2011, AFTER

DEVELOPING IT WITH THE HELP OF A

LOCAL UNIVERSITY.

AND IT WAS PROMOTED AT THE TIME

LIKE THIS:

>> ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF

MATHEMATICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF

SANTA CLARA COMPARES THIS KIND

OF REPETITIVE CRIME TO

EARTHQUAKES.

THE INITIAL CRIME IS THE FIRST

TREMOR.

SUBSEQUENT CRIMES FOLLOW LIKE

AFTERSHOCKS.

>> WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK OF AS

AFTER CRIMES, CRIMES TRIGGERED

BY AN INITIAL EVENT.

AND WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THIS

MODEL IS CREATE MAPS.

>> MAPS OF WHEN AND WHERE POLICE

SHOULD DIRECT THEIR EFFORTS.

>> WE PUT THAT INTO THE SOFTWARE

PROGRAM.

IT PRODUCES RESULTS IN A VERY

SIMPLE, EASY-TO-USE GOOGLE MAP

FORMAT THAT WE CAN THEN PROVIDE

TO THE OFFICERS TO TELL THEM

WHEN AND WHERE TO BE ON ANY

GIVEN DAY.

>> JOHN: OKAY, SO FIRST, BEFORE

YOU SAY ANYTHING-- I KNOW.

WE ALL SEE IT.

NO NEED TO DWELL ON IT.

HE'S PURE SEX.

EVERYONE AGREES.

END OF STORY.

LET IT ALL OUT.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

THERE WAS A LOT OF HYPE AROUND

WHAT SANTA CRUZ DID AT THE TIME.

TIME MAGAZINE EVEN CALLED ITS

PREDICTIVE POLICING ONE OF THE

50 BEST NEW INVENTIONS OF 2011,

ALONG WITH-- AND THIS IS TRUE

-- THE BOEING 787.

I GUESS IT'S TRUE WHAT THEY SAY:

WHEN YOU'RE AT THE TOP, THERE'S

SIMPLY NO PLACE TO GO BUT UP IN

FLAMES.

AND SINCE THEN, OTHER CITIES

HAVE ROLLED IT OUT, INCLUDING

LA, ATLANTA, PHILADELPHIA,

CHICAGO, AND ST. LOUIS.

AND SOME POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE

APPLIED PREDICTIVE POLICING WITH

THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF A LIGHT

TOUCH.

IN PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA, THE

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT USED IT TO

COMPILE A LIST OF "TOP FIVE"

OFFENDERS AND OTHER SUSPECTS--

MANY OF THEM TEENAGERS-- BASED

ON ARREST HISTORIES, UNSPECIFIED

INTELLIGENCE AND ARBITRARY

DECISIONS BY POLICE ANALYSTS.

COPS WOULD THEN CONSTANTLY VISIT

AND QUESTION THOSE OFFENDERS

ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES, FILING

REPORTS WITH DETAILS LIKE, OF

ONE KID ON THEIR LIST, "HE HAS

CUT HIS HAIR, WHICH IS NOW

SHORT."

"HE ADVISED AFTER THE SUMMER

BREAK HE WILL BE GOING TO 9TH

GRADE."

AND "HE CLAIMED NOT TO BE

ASSOCIATING WITH ANY OF HIS OLD

FRIENDS."

AND THAT'S SOME CRACKER JACK

POLICE WORK RIGHT THERE!

"THIS JUST IN: LOCAL TEEN TRYING

OUT NEW VIBE THIS SCHOOL YEAR."

AND TO SEE JUST HOW RIDICULOUS

THIS GOT, TAKE THE CASE OF A KID

CALLED RIO-- A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY

WHO'D HAD ONE ARREST, FOR

STEALING MOTORIZED BICYCLES WITH

A FRIEND.

HE'D BEEN PLACED ON PROBATION,

AND HAD A PROBATION OFFICER

CHECKING UP ON HIM, BUT A YEAR

AFTER HE WAS SENTENCED, THE

COMPUTER INEXPLICABLY PLACED HIM

ON THAT TOP-FIVE LIST.

AND SUDDENLY, THE POLICE WERE

CONSTANTLY TURNING UP TO HIS

HOUSE.

THE TAMPA BAY TIMES ACTUALLY

PULLED BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF

THOSE INTERACTIONS, AND IT'S

JUST RELENTLESS.

>> WHY AM I ON THE TOP FIVE?

I ONLY HAVE ONE CHARGE.

>> IT'S NOT ABOUT YOUR CHARGE.

IT GOES DEEPER THAN THAT.

IT'S ABOUT YOUR NETWORK, WHO YOU

ASSOCIATE WITH, YOU'RE ON

PROBATION, SO.

>> OKAY.

I THOUGHT I ONLY HAD ONE CHARGE.

>> YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF

INVOLVEMENTS AND HISTORY WITH

PEOPLE THAT COMMIT CRIME.

>> I'LL GIVE IT THE (INAUDIBLE)

AND I'LL LET YOU KNOCK IN THE

OFF CHANCE HE'S SLEEPING HERE OR

SOME SHIT.

>> SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

>> YOU NEED RIO?

>> YEP.

>> SHE'S NICE.

I PROMISE.

>> HEY, BRO.

>> JUST COMING TO SAY HI TO RIO.

>> IS HE HOME?

>> NO.

HE'S WITH HIS MOM.

>> YOU NEED RIO?

>> YEAH.

>> AN OFFICER WANTED TO TALK TO

YOU, RIO.

>> WE'RE JUST HERE TO SAY HI TO

RIO.

HEY, RIO, WHAT'S GOING ON,

BUDDY?

MIND IF WE CHIT-CHAT FOR A

COUPLE MINUTES?

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

>> 2020.

>> JOHN: YEAH, HAPPY 2020!

IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT YEAR!

BUT IT GETS EVEN DUMBER.

ANOTHER TIME, THE COPS SHOWED UP

AND DEMANDED TO SEE RIO-- AND

WHEN HIS SISTERS SAID HE WASN'T

HOME, BECAUSE HE WAS WITH HIS

MOM AT HER WORK, JUST WATCH AS

ONE DEPUTY TRIED TO BULLY HIS

WAY INTO THE HOUSE ANYWAY.

>> SO, YOU CAN LET US WALK

THROUGH RIGHT NOW AND MAKE SURE

HE'S NOT HERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH

HIS PROBATION, OR I CAN THROW

BOTH YOU GUYS A CITATION FOR NOT

HAVING NUMBERS OF THE HOUSE.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>> WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?

>> NUMBERS ON THE HOUSE?

>> YOU DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS ON

EITHER THE MAILBOX OR THIS

HOUSE.

>> IS THAT BLACKMAIL OR

SOMETHING?

>> YES, WE DO!

WE HAVE OUR ADDRESS ON OUR

MAILBOX RIGHT NOW.

>> ON THE MAILBOX?

>> ON THE OTHER SIDE.

>> JOHN: THAT IS PATHETIC.

USUALLY WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS

"COPS" AND "BLACKMAIL," YOU

THINK OF HIGH STAKES SITUATIONS

LIKE INFILTRATING DRUG RINGS OR

CORRUPT GAMBLING SCHEMES.

NOT "LET ME SEE YOUR TEEN OR

I'LL FINE YOUR MAILBOX TO HELL."

AND LOOK-- OBVIOUSLY, COPS CAN

BE ASSHOLES NO MATTER WHAT.

BUT IT DEFINITELY DOESN'T HELP

TO HAVE A COMPUTER PROGRAM

TELLING THEM, "YOU SHOULD

ABSOLUTELY GO BE AN ASSHOLE TO

THIS PARTICULAR PERSON, BECAUSE

WE THINK THEY'RE A CRIMINAL JUST

WAITING TO HAPPEN."

AND IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT

A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGIES YOU'VE

SEEN TONIGHT-- LIKE SHOTSPOTTER

AND LICENSE PLATE READERS-- ARE

DISPROPORTIONATELY USED IN

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND CAMERAS ARE OFTEN USED IN

TANDEM WITH FACIAL RECOGNITION

SOFTWARE, WHICH, AS WE'VE

DISCUSSED BEFORE, TENDS TO

MISIDENTIFY SUSPECTS FAR MORE

OFTEN BASED ON RACE.

SO THERE'S ALREADY RACIAL BIAS

BUILT INTO MANY OF THESE

TECHNOLOGIES, AND WHEN YOU START

FEEDING THEM INTO PREDICTIVE

POLICING, THAT ONLY GETS

COMPOUNDED.

AND IT FRANKLY SAYS SOMETHING

THAT THE PLACE THAT STARTED

PREDICTIVE POLICING, SANTA CRUZ,

ACTUALLY BACKED AWAY FROM IT A

FEW YEARS AGO, FOR EXACTLY THOSE

REASONS, AS THE POLICE CHIEF

THERE EXPLAINED.

>> THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED IT

WEREN'T INHERENTLY RACIST, BUT

THE EFFECT OF IT CAN BE RACIST.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE

CONCERNED ABOUT.

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE PUTTING POLICE

OFFICERS IN A LOCATION WHERE

THEY'RE LIKELY TO ENGAGE PEOPLE

IN A NEGATIVE WAY, THEN THAT

BECOMES THE PROBLEM.

>> JOHN: RIGHT.

AND I KNOW HE'S BEING VERY

CAREFUL THERE, BUT LUCKILY, I

CAN BE A BIT MORE BLUNT.

THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED

PREDICTIVE POLICING THAT

INCORPORATED RACIST POLICE

PRACTICES AND DATA WERE PROBABLY

INHERENTLY RACIST.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, EITHER

KNOWINGLY OR NOT, AND THE EFFECT

IS DEFINITELY RACIST.

IT'S JUST ONE OF MANY

UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS WE SHOULD

PROBABLY ALL BE MORE UPFRONT

ABOUT, ALONG WITH "DEATH COMES

FOR ALL OF US," "PEOPLE LIE,"

AND UNFORTUNATELY, "THE GOAL OF

MOST DATING REALITY SHOWS ISN'T

TO FIND LOVE, IT'S TO GET ENOUGH

INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS SO YOU CAN

GET A COUPLE BRAND DEALS AND

MAYBE START A SKINCARE COMPANY."

IT'S JUST A REGRETTABLE FACT.

AND THOSE WHO PUSH ALL THESE

TOOLS WILL INSIST THAT

TECHNOLOGY ISN'T THE PROBLEM

HERE, IT'S HOW IT GETS USED.

FLOCK-- WHICH MAKES MANY OF

THOSE ALPRS I SHOWED YOU EARLIER

-- HAS BEEN BRANCHING OUT INTO

SELLING CAMERAS AND REAL-TIME

CRIME CENTERS TO LOCAL

DEPARTMENTS.

AND HERE'S HOW A SEGMENT ON ONE

OF THEM DEALT WITH CITIZENS'

CONCERNS.

>> THOSE EYES IN THE SKY AND ON

THE ROADS RAISE CONCERNS OVER

PRIVACY.

THE ACLU HAS RAISED CONCERNS

WITH FLOCK'S SURVEILLANCE

NETWORK, BUT FLOCK SAYS IT'S ALL

ABOUT HOW YOU USE IT.

>> AS LONG AS DEPARTMENTS HIRE

ETHICAL PEOPLE, WRITE SOUND

POLICY, AND HAVE OVERSIGHT ON

THOSE POLICIES, THEN YOU CAN

START TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS ALL

USED ETHICALLY.

>> JOHN: OKAY, FIRST, ENOUGH

WITH THE BEARD.

WE GET IT.

BUT SECOND-- IT'S THAT EASY, IS

IT?

JUST HIRE ETHICAL PEOPLE, WRITE

SOUND POLICY, AND HAVE OVERSIGHT

AND IT'LL ALL BE FINE.

MY BROTHER IN CHRIST, HAVE YOU

-- AND THIS IS A TECHNICAL TERM

-- LOOKED AROUND RECENTLY?

BECAUSE AS NICE AS THAT SOUNDS,

THE FACT IS, DEPARTMENTS DON'T

NECESSARILY DO ANY OF THOSE

THINGS.

THERE'VE NOW BEEN MANY, MANY

STORIES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

OF POLICE OFFICERS ACCUSED OF

USING ALPR DATABASES TO STALK

AND HARASS WOMEN.

AS FOR OVERSIGHT, WHILE FLOCK

CLAIMS THAT EVERY SEARCH REQUEST

IS LOGGED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

PURPOSES, WHEN THIS MAN IN

GEORGIA TRIED TO FIND OUT WHO'D

ACCESSED THE CAMERAS NEAR HIS

HOME, HIS CITY TOLD HIM IT WOULD

COST HIM HALF A MILLION DOLLARS

TO FULFILL HIS REQUEST.

WHICH IS CLEARLY CRAZY!

NOW, THEY DID GIVE HIM A MUCH

MORE LIMITED DATA SET.

BUT INTERESTINGLY, HE STILL

FOUND ENOUGH TROUBLING NEW

INFORMATION IN THERE TO THEN

TAKE IT TO A CITY COUNCIL

MEETING.

>> HUNYAR WENT TO CITY COUNCIL

WITH THE LIMITED FLOCK AUDIT

RECORDS DUNWOODY GAVE HIM.

>> NOBODY FROM FLOCK SAFETY IS

ACCESSING OR MONITORING YOUR

FOOTAGE.

ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE EVIDENCE OF

FLOCK EMPLOYEES LOOKING AT

PARKS, SCHOOLS, PLAYGROUNDS.

>> THE AUDIT LOGS ALSO SHOWED

FLOCK EXECUTIVES WATCHING

PRIVATE CAMERAS INSIDE THE

CITY'S JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER,

WHICH THE MAYOR CONFIRMED.

>> MEMBERS OF THE FLOCK SALES

TEAM WERE USING IT AS A

DEMONSTRATION.

>> JOHN: HOLD ON.

THERE'S JUST A CASCADING SET OF

"YIKES" THERE.

FIRST, YOU GET THE NEWS THAT

IT'S NOT JUST COPS AND SECURITY

GUARDS-- FLOCK EMPLOYEES ARE

WATCHING THESE CAMERAS, TOO.

THEN YOU GET TO "PARKS SCHOOLS

PLAYGROUNDS" AND A SCROLLING

LIST OF CAMERAS WITH LABELS LIKE

"GYMNASTICS" AND "GYMNASTICS

SIDE VIEW".

THEN YOU LEARN THEY'RE AT THE

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER.

AND FINALLY THAT "IT WAS FOR A

SALES DEMONSTRATION."

WHAT WAS EVEN THE PITCH THERE?

"EVER WONDER WHAT YOUR JEWISH

NEIGHBORS WERE UP TO, BUT DIDN'T

FEEL LIKE GOING OVER THERE TO

ASK?

EVER WONDER WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE

DOING YOGA?

NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO!

WHY KNOCK WHEN YOU CAN FLOCK!"

AND WHEN A REPORTER ASKED A

FLOCK SPOKESPERSON ABOUT THAT,

IT DIDN'T GO GREAT:

>> WHY DIDN'T FLOCK FIND THOSE

VULNERABILITIES?

>> JOSH?

>> WHY DID IT TAKE A CITIZEN--

SORRY, GO AHEAD.

>> WE ACTUALLY CAN'T TALK ABOUT

THE JCC BY NAME.

SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOMETHING

ELSE NOW.

>> WHY CAN'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE

JCC?

>> BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED WITH

THEIR TEAM, AND WE'RE NOT GOING

TO TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY.

>> A FLOCK PR PERSON STOPPED OUR

INTERVIEW TWICE WHEN WE TRIED TO

ASK ABOUT FLOCK EMPLOYEES

VIEWING CAMERAS INSIDE THE

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER.

DID THE PEOPLE IN THOSE VIDEOS

GIVE PERMISSION TO BE PART OF A

DEMO?

>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JCC.

NOT GONNA ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT

THE JCC.

BUT ANY PARTNERSHIP GOING

THROUGH--

>> I HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION,

HOWEVER YOU GUYS WANT TO ANSWER

IT, AND IF YOU WANT TO SAY YOU

CAN'T ANSWER IT, YOU CAN'T

ANSWER IT.

THAT'S FINE.

BUT I HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION.

I CAN'T-- IT'S NOT A PR VIDEO.

THIS ISN'T, LIKE, A PROMOTIONAL

VIDEO.

IT'S A-- IT'S A-- I MEAN, THIS

IS--

>> I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR

WE'RE NOT-- THIS IS NOT A PR

VIDEO.

WE'RE GOOD, THOUGH.

>> JOHN: YEAH, I'M NOT SURE

YOU'RE AS GOOD AS YOU THINK YOU

ARE THERE.

AND I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR YOU TO

DEAL WITH CAMERAS YOU DON'T

CONTROL, BUT WHAT DID YOU THINK

THAT NEWS CREW WERE GOING TO DO?

LEAVE THAT EXCHANGE OUT?

NEWS STATIONS FUCKING LOVE IT

WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO STOP AN

INTERVIEW!

ALL YOU'VE REALLY DONE THERE IS

MANAGE TO LOOK SUSPICIOUS AND TO

GET THEM TO BREAK OUT THE "GOOD"

SUBTITLES.

THE FACT IS, IT CURRENTLY TAKES

FAR TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO EXPOSE

WHAT SYSTEMS CITIES ARE USING,

AND HOW THEY'RE USING THEM.

IN FACT, REMEMBER HOW I

MENTIONED THAT RIALTO,

CALIFORNIA REQUIRES NEW

BUSINESSES TO HOOK THEIR

SECURITY CAMERAS UP TO FUSUS?

WELL, THREE YEARS AGO WE FILED A

NARROW PUBLIC-RECORDS REQUEST

WITH THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT,

ASKING FOR EMAILS IN WHICH FUSUS

WAS DISCUSSED.

THEY TOLD US THEY DIDN'T HAVE

ANY, WHICH SEEMED IMPLAUSIBLE.

SO WE FILED A MUCH BROADER

REQUEST, AND OVER THE NEXT TWO

YEARS, THEY SENT US 28 PAGES,

WHICH STILL DIDN'T SEEM LIKE ALL

THE MATERIAL THEY PROBABLY HAD.

SO LAST FEBRUARY, WE SAID FUCK

IT, SEND US AN EXPORT OF YOUR

WHOLE LOG DATABASE FOR FUSUS,

SHOWING US EVERY TIME YOUR

OFFICERS PEEKED AT A

PRIVATELY-OWNED CAMERA.

AND WE ASKED FOR IT AS A

SEARCHABLE DIGITAL FILE, AS THE

LAW REQUIRES.

BUT INSTEAD, WHAT THEY DID WAS

SEND US A 30,413 PAGE PDF.

TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF JUST HOW

MASSIVE THAT IS, IF YOU PRINTED

IT OUT, IT'S ALL THIS SHIT RIGHT

HERE.

WHICH WAS CLEARLY PRETTY

IRRITATING, BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE

AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT'S

IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK THROUGH

QUICKLY.

THANKFULLY, WE MANAGED TO

CONVERT IT INTO A SEARCHABLE

FILE, AND IN DOING SO, FOUND

SOME THINGS THAT IT FEELS THE

PEOPLE OF RIALTO SHOULD PROBABLY

KNOW ABOUT.

FOR INSTANCE, THIS IS JUST ALL

THE TIMES POLICE THERE ACCESSED

CAMERAS AT FAST-FOOD PLACES.

AND YOU SHOULD KNOW, SOME OF

THOSE CAMERAS ARE INSIDE THE

RESTAURANT, IN AREAS ONLY

EMPLOYEES CAN ACCESS.

FOR INSTANCE, IT SEEMS THEY CAN

CHECK IN ON THE GRILL AT THE

LOCAL WIENERSCHNITZEL ANYTIME

THEY WANT.

AND IF YOU WORK AT THE

CHICK-FIL-A, JUST KNOW THAT ON

ONE TUESDAY AFTERNOON RIALTO HAD

FIVE OF YOUR INTERIOR CAMERAS

OPEN FOR TWO HOURS STRAIGHT.

THE FRONT COUNTER, THE

DRIVE-THRU REGISTER, THE

MULTIPURPOSE ROOM, THE MANAGER'S

STATION, AND THE OFFICE.

WHICH FEELS A LITTLE WEIRD.

AS DOES THE FACT THEY ACCESSED

CAMERAS AT THE RIALTO DAYS INN,

FOR HUNDREDS OF HOURS, INCLUDING

THE ONE FACING THE POOL.

AND COME ON.

GETTING SECRETLY WATCHED IN YOUR

SWIMSUIT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE

ONE OF THE PERKS OF STAYING AT A

DAYS INN.

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET A ROOM

THAT'S FINE.

A BED THAT'LL DO.

AND A FRONT DESK THAT

OCCASIONALLY HAS AN EMPLOYEE

BEHIND IT.

THAT'S THE DAYS INN PROMISE.

AND I SHOULD SAY, THE RIALTO PD

INSISTS SOME OF THOSE HITS ARE

BECAUSE THEY WERE WATCHING A

WHOLE AREA, AND SCOOPING UP ALL

THE CAMERAS, OR THAT THEY'D LEFT

A SET OF CAMERAS ON IN THE

BACKGROUND AT THEIR OFFICE.

BUT THAT IS NOT AS REASSURING AS

I THINK THEY WANT IT TO SOUND.

LOOK, IT SURE SEEMS LIKE THESE

SURVEILLANCE TOOLS HAVE MUCH

BIGGER FLAWS THAN THE PEOPLE

BOTH SELLING AND USING THEM ARE

COMFORTABLE ADMITTING.

BECAUSE TIME AND AGAIN, THE

PATTERN WHEN THEY GET ROLLED OUT

IS, THEY GET DEPLOYED IN SECRET,

THEN PUBLICLY PRESENTED IN THE

MOST POSITIVE LIGHT, AND ONLY

MUCH LATER DO WE START TO FULLY

UNDERSTAND THE DAMAGE THEY CAN

DO.

BASICALLY, THE PUBLIC

CONVERSATION COMES LAST, NOT

FIRST.

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, DUE IN

PART TO THE VAST OVERREACH OF

THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, WE

ARE NOW FINALLY STARTING TO HAVE

THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

AROUND THE COUNTRY, PEOPLE ARE

SHOWING UP TO DEMAND THEIR

CITIES AND TOWNS END CONTRACTS

WITH COMPANIES LIKE FLOCK,

INCLUDING A MAN IN SEATTLE WHO

DID SO WHILE DRESSED AS AN ALPR.

AND WHILE I ADMIRE HIS

COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE, HE DOES

LOOK MORE LIKE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN

IF A PIXAR DAD FUCKED THE PIXAR

LAMP.

BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE

THIS IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

BUT IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING,

FLOCK CAMERAS ARE JUST ONE PART

OF A VAST ECOSYSTEM HERE.

AND EVEN IF YOUR TOWN GETS RID

OF THEM, COPS MIGHT STILL BE

LOOKING AT CAMERAS IN PRIVATE

BUSINESSES, OR USING STINGRAYS,

OR EMPLOYING ANY OF THE OTHER

TECHNOLOGIES YOU'VE SEEN

TONIGHT.

IF YOU NOW WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S

BEING USED IN YOUR TOWN, YOU CAN

CHECK OUT RESOURCES LIKE

THE EFF'S "ATLAS OF

SURVEILLANCE", WHICH CATALOGS

EACH OF THE TECHNOLOGIES USED IN

YOUR AREA.

AND I'LL WARN YOU, THE ANSWER

PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO MAKE YOU

HAPPY.

AND AS FOR WHAT TO DO ABOUT

THIS, EXPERTS SAY THAT, TO THE

EXTENT WE USE ANY OF THESE

TECHNOLOGIES AT ALL, WE AT THE

VERY LEAST NEED TO MAKE SURE

THEY'RE THOROUGHLY VETTED AND

DEBATED BEFORE INSTALLATION, AND

MANDATE AUDITS FOCUSED ON CIVIL

RIGHTS, CIVIL LIBERTIES,

PRIVACY, AND RACIAL JUSTICE

RISKS, TO BE CONDUCTED BOTH

BEFORE AND AFTER A TECHNOLOGY IS

ADOPTED.

AND THAT REALLY DOESN'T SEEM

LIKE TOO MUCH TO ASK, BECAUSE

THE VERY FACT THAT WE DON'T

CURRENTLY HAVE ALL THOSE

REQUIREMENTS IN PLACE IS--

WHAT'S THE BEST PHRASE TO USE

HERE?

>> THAT'S INSANE, THAT'S CRAZY.

>> John: YEAH, IT REALLY IS.

THAT'S OUR SHOW, THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR WATCHING, SEE YOU NEXT

WEEK.

GOOD NIGHT!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

♪ ♪

>> HELLO?

HELLO?

SO ALONE