Protesters call for San Diego to suspend 'smart streetlight' technology, citing privacy concerns - The San Diego Union-Tribune

About 50 people supporting a coalition of more than a dozen community groups gathered Tuesday outside San Diego City Hall to call for a moratorium on “smart streetlights” until concerns about privacy and surveillance are addressed.

In December 2016, the city approved a project to retrofit 4,200 streetlights with “smart” technology that uses cameras, microphones and other sensors to collect anonymous data such as pedestrian movements, vehicle counts, temperature, humidity and parking availability, according to the city’s website.

City officials said they can use the data to improve pedestrian safety, optimize mobility planning, help first responders during emergencies and provide other benefits to the community.

The data is stored on a cloud database run by the city’s technology partner, General Electric’s CityIQ.

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The first phase of the streetlight retrofit installations was carried out last year, but the city did not begin having community forums about the technology until June 2019.

Speakers at the demonstration Tuesday said the group learned of the smart technology only recently. They expressed frustration that privacy issues surrounding smart streetlights were not brought to the community sooner.

“There was never any conversation about surveillance issues and privacy interests,” said Geneviéve Jones-Wright, legal director for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, an advocacy group that helps refugees. “We stand here today as community members on Constitution Day to say, ‘Respect us and our right to privacy.’

“‘Until there is oversight by the community and policy that is legally enforceable in place and an ordinance written into law, you cannot use these smart streetlights any further,’” she said.

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Other speakers shared concerns about racial profiling, use of data to intimidate criminal defendants into taking plea deals, possible surveillance of mosques and whether data storage is secure.

The coalition plans to send a letter to Mayor Kevin Faulconer to demand a moratorium on smart streetlights until the public has been fully informed about what data is being collected and how it is used, and until there are strict privacy, accountability and transparency mechanisms in place, speakers said.

The 4,200 retrofits and energy efficiency upgrades for another 8,700 streetlights are all expected to cost $30 million, offset by $2.2 million in annual energy savings expected once installation is complete, according to information on the city’s website.

The smart technology does not have facial recognition, does not read license plates or show private property. All data is overwritten after five days unless police download it, according to the city. Some data can be kept up to seven years.

Public comments from the community forums about the smart streetlights would help city officials develop new policies, review existing rules and inform City Council members before the next phase of installations begins, advocates said.

The second phase of installations is expected to be complete in the spring.

San Diego police explored the smart streetlight technology capabilities last year and is working with city officials and stakeholders to develop policies governing how the data should be used.

Police Capt. Jeff Jordan told the Union-Tribune earlier this month that the department has rarely used the smart streetlight technology, employing it in 164 investigations since August 2018.

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He said fewer than 100 of the city’s 1,800 police officers have access. Their access is audited, and the public can request the footage using the California Public Records Act, Jordan said.

In a statement provided Tuesday afternoon in response to The San Diego Union-Tribune’s questions, city officials said that despite the public forums and efforts to engage the community, misinformation about the smart streetlight program remained a challenge.

“While this project is a tremendous technological benefit to the city and our citizens, we recognize and value the importance of privacy,” the statement said.

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