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Seattle Privacy Coalition

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Seattle Privacy Coalition
Formation2013
TypeNon-profit
PurposeCivil liberties advocacy
HeadquartersSeattle
Websitewww.seattleprivacy.org [registration lapsed]

The Seattle Privacy Coalition or SPC was a group of personal privacy and government transparency activists based in Seattle, Washington.[1] The organization formed in March 2013 in response to the Seattle Police Department's aerial drone and surveillance controversies,[2][3] and later registered as a Washington state nonprofit corporation in December 2014.[4]

History

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2013

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SPC announced its formation on April 15, 2013.[5] The founding members,[1] as listed on the organization's website, included:

  • Jacob Appelbaum
  • Jan Bultmann
  • Lee Colleton
  • Phil Mocek
  • David Robinson
  • Allegra Searle-LeBel

In August 2013, members of SPC were interviewed on KEXP FM's "Mind Over Matters: Community Forum" to discuss the formation of SPC and the City of Seattle's surveillance cameras that are owned and operated by the Seattle Police Department but funded by the Department of Homeland Security.[6]

In November 2013, a member of SPC was interviewed by The Stranger (newspaper) about privacy policy and government oversight in Seattle following increased public awareness about the Seattle Police Department's wireless mesh network in the downtown corridor.[2]

2014

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In March 2014, members of SPC testified in a Seattle City Light review panel meeting about smart meter privacy risks and security vulnerabilities.[7] Also in March, a member of SPC testified to the Washington State House Committee on Public Safety concerning technology-enhanced government surveillance.[8]

In July 2014, a member of SPC informed the Seattle Police Department about another active node in the SPD's mesh network,[9] something SPD promised the City of Seattle would not happen in November 2013.[10]

In August 2014, the Community Technology Advisory Board responded to SPC's proposal to the City Council for a Chief Privacy Officer and staff for a Privacy Board. CTAB did not endorse the budget or proposal and instead decided to support a formal privacy review process.[11]

In September 2014, members of SPC were interviewed on KEXP FM's "Mind Over Matters: Community Forum" to discuss how federal grants end up affecting municipal privacy.[12]

2015

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In April 2015, a member of SPC spoke in a televised Seattle Channel discussion titled "Privacy Politics" which looked at the balance between open government and data privacy.[13]

In August 2015, a member of SPC discovered new surveillance cameras in Seattle and was later interviewed by several local news organizations including King 5 News and Kiro 7 News about the lack of transparency when setting up these cameras and concerns for privacy invasion. SPC further discovered that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had deployed the surveillance cameras.[14][15]

In September 2015, a member of SPC was interviewed by Crosscut.com in an article about a new wireless tracking network deployed by the Seattle Department of Transportation.[16] A member of SPC brought attention to the issue at the Community Technology Advisory Board.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Seattle Privacy Coalition: About". Seattle Privacy Coalition. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b Kiley, Brendan; Fikse-Verkerk, Matt (6 November 2013). "You Are a Rogue Device". The Stranger. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  3. ^ Sullivan, Jennifer (December 15, 2014). "Hackathon asks techies to aid SPD on sensitive-video issues". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Corporations Division – Registration Data Search". sos.wa.gov. Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  5. ^ "SPC organizational development underway". April 15, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  6. ^ McCormick, Mike (3 August 2013). "Mind Over Matters: Community Forum 080313cf.mp3". kexp.org. KEXP FM. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  7. ^ "City Light Review Panel Meeting Meeting Minutes" (PDF). seattle.gov. Seattle City Light. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  8. ^ "SENATE BILL REPORT ESHB 1639". leg.wa.gov. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  9. ^ Whitcomb, Sean (11 July 2014). "Oh Node You Didn't!". seattle.gov. Seattle Police Department. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  10. ^ Kiley, Brendan; Fikse-Verkerk, Matt (12 November 2013). "The Seattle Police Department Disables Its Mesh Network (the New Apparatus Capable of Spying on You)". thestranger.com. The Stranger. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Privacy Commitee [sic] now posted". seattle.gov. Seattle Community Technology Advisory Board. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  12. ^ McCormick, Mike (13 September 2014). "Mind Over Matters: Community Forum 091314cf.mp3". kexp.org. KEXP FM. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  13. ^ Valley, Jim (22 April 2015). ""Privacy Politics" on Seattle Speaks". seattle.gov. Seattle Department of Information Technology. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  14. ^ Hahn, Elisa (August 7, 2015). "Mixed reaction to ATF surveillance cameras in Central District". King 5 News. King Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  15. ^ Johnson, Graham (August 6, 2014). "ATF confirms it installed two video cameras in Seattle's Central District". Kiro 7 News. Cox Media Group. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  16. ^ Kroman, David (8 September 2015). "Seattle installs new system to track individual drivers". crosscut.com. Crosscut.com. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  17. ^ "September 8, 2015 Seattle Technology Advisory Board Minutes". ctab.seattle.gov. Seattle Community Technology Advisory Board. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
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