Privacy

The Hampden County Assistant District Attorney's Office is training high schoolers to give presentations about online safety at elementary and middle schools across Western Massachusetts.

As of Feb. 1, school districts across Louisiana are legally required to have at least one camera in each special education classroom. Parents can request footage if they believe their child was abused or neglected.

The state has created a policy establishing how data across the executive branch is identified, classified and safeguarded, to act as the foundation for data security. Its scope is wide-reaching.

A recent report by the nonprofit EDSAFE AI Alliance warns that school safety policies must evolve from academic integrity to psychological guardrails as students turn to AI chatbots for emotional support.

The new technology, which the police department in Norwalk, Conn., recently launched, “makes things a whole lot easier,” its Chief James Walsh said. The software is an upgrade to officer cameras.

The county Board of Commissioners has delayed a decision on whether to renew contracts for 30 surveillance cameras. Residents have voiced their objections and a commissioner has shared his concern.

Automatic license plate reader technology gathers data and images for use by government agencies for law enforcement, and this bill prevents that data from being used by immigration authorities.

Connecticut could see legislation proposed and passed this year that would limit law enforcement's use of cameras that can automatically log and track license plates of passing cars.

A bill now before the state Senate would set limitations on sharing information gathered by automatic license plate readers. If passed, state agencies would have to submit usage requests in writing.

Chief Privacy Officer Martha Wewer reviewed the state’s approach to data protection, AI oversight and consumer privacy on Thursday as Gov. Josh Stein marked a new day of awareness during Data Privacy Week.

There was a record set for data breaches in 2025, and the incidents were also paired with fewer details in notification letters, raising concerns about transparency and public understanding.

Local law enforcement praises the devices, hundreds of which are in place, for helping solve crimes. Privacy and surveillance concerns, however, persist among critics and industry watchers.

A donation of more than $400,000 enabled the county police department to add two new drones to its fleet of seven. Among residents, however, concerns over being surveilled persist.

Minnesota’s case is one of several breaches of late involving legitimate access, a recurring issue in provider-heavy government health and human services systems.

A policy advocate from the American Civil Liberties Union warned FETC attendees last week that fear-based marketing and limited empirical evidence are driving district adoption of student surveillance tools.

San Jose is the latest city whose use of the cameras to snag criminal suspects, critics say, also threatens privacy and potentially runs afoul of laws barring access by out-of-state and federal agencies.

Thurston County, Wash., commissioners are currently considering regulating the county’s acquisition and use of artificial intelligence-enabled surveillance technology with a new draft ordinance.

County commissioners will consider spending more than $3.2 million over 10 years to replace body-worn and in-car sheriff’s office cameras. Software, data storage and accessories would be included.