For six years, New Orleans police have been using a secret program that uses social media to locate violent criminals.
A program from Peter Theil's Palantir has been used by New Orleans cops for six years to try to predict which people are likely to have been involved in violent crimes. The program may have been controversial, but it was unknown to the public until a report published in The Verge uncovered its use. "The program, like a similar program in Chicago, pulls information from a variety of law enforcement databases and social media networks, and draws up a list of people most likely to be involved in violent crime," Tanvi Misra reports for CityLab.
If the existence of the Palantir program were public knowledge, civil rights advocates might have protested the possibility for automated discrimination. "Cities across the U.S. are adopting new surveillance technologies and algorithms without any public input or oversight," Misra writes. To address this the ACLU has been advocating for public hearings for these new technologies, so that citizens can have some say in how they are policed.
FULL STORY: The Local Movement to Curb Big Brother
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
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City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)