Chicago-based collaboration between data scientists, transparency activists, artists, & technologists that sheds light on the intersection of digital rights and on-the-streets issues. https://linktr.ee/lucyparsonslabs
Have you read the LPL 2026 Summer newsletter. It’s here and features events, updates about our fellowship cohort, and even a film and album recommendation! Please take a look canva.link/mf4dxd6q164i...
LPL Summer NewsletterCheck out this US Letter designed by Freddy Martinez.canva.linkCity Bureau @citybureau.bsky.social has a new rounds of fellowships open for people interested expanding access to information, particularly on the South and West side. Details here -> www.citybureau.org/fellowship-a...
Civic Information Fellowship — City BureauA paid, six-month program for Chicagoans to grow skills in community engagement, civic participation and journalism.www.citybureau.orgIf you're anything like me, it might not have registered in your brain that this event is *this* Sunday. See you there!
Lucy Parsons LabsCome hang out with us! LPL is having a summer meetup and chill session on the lake on Sunday July 26th. We’ll be on 43rd and the Lake with picnic style snacks and drinks. Bring yourselves, sunscreen, and a friend who might enjoy learning more about LPL!
The LPL summer newsletter is here. Updates on organizing, summer events, and our 2026 fellows is all inside. Please check it out and hopefully you can make it to one of our events. canva.link/mf4dxd6q164i...
Want to see a public collection of all the times cops have been busted abusing Flock systems to stalk exes, spy on protests, or deport migrants? You can check it out here 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 HT @deflock library.kansas.watch
ALPR Abuse Library — Kansas WatchA publicly maintained index of news articles documenting abuses, misuses, and civil liberties concerns related to Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs).library.kansas.watchThe CEO of Fwock is weally, weally sowwy for calling anti Fwock activists “tewworists” www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...
Blue Island, a suburb of Chicago with a huge Mexican population, is one police agency sharing immigration data with ICE. Via @eff.org www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Are Your Local Police Using Flock Safety ALPRs to Scan for Immigrants?When a car passes an automated license plate reader (ALPR), its plate is captured and instantly compared against a list of vehicles that police are actively looking for or that police have identified ...www.eff.orgCops will swear up and down they only want drones for finding missing kids or whatever. When they talk among themselves and with tech vendors, they want to implement “Drone-first responders” with an eye towards a drone always being deployed first before a human.
Minnesota 50501 (@mn50501.bsky.social)Stop spy drones coming to Minneapolis. Skydio surveillance drones (also used by the IDF) are AI-powered surveillance tools marketed as "public safety." If you don't want surveillance normalized in…bsky.appSurprising nobody, after Chicago got rid of ShotSpotter, the response time to p1 calls (how the city codes active shootings) fell dramatically. The whole conceit of the company was that it helped improve response times ¯\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯ https://bit.ly/4aul6ki
CPD Officers Responded Faster to 911 Calls on South, West Sides After ShotSpotter Was Removed: UChicago AnalysisThere is no evidence that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision to turn off the microphones that sent an alert to police officers every time the system picked up suspected gunfire slowed police response ti...news.wttw.comThe Cook County Sheriff has a massive problem of deaths at the jail, despite record low # of people there. Instead of fixing problems, Dart is sending cops on the CTA and build out a surveillance network. https://chicagoreader.com/news/reader-investigative-reports/ccso-briefcam-flock-alpr-ai-jail/
Cook County Sheriff’s Office pitches expanded surveillance networkSheriff Tom Dart is quietly lobbying the Cook County board for an AI jail security system and nearly $1 million for license plate readers.chicagoreader.comA deep dive by @boltsmag.org into how police are using their checkbooks to re-shape society in ways that we neither anticipate. Thankfully, there are groups fighting back and we are listed as one of them. https://boltsmag.org/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-surveillance-your-questions-answered/
“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once Surveillance”: Your Questions AnsweredA legal expert on digital surveillance answers questions from Bolts readers about how police track your personal data, and what public officials could be doing to restrict it.boltsmag.orgA deep dive by @boltsmag.org into how police are using their checkbooks to re-shape society in ways that we neither anticipate. Thankfully, there are groups fighting back and we are listed as one of them. https://boltsmag.org/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-surveillance-your-questions-answered/
“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once Surveillance”: Your Questions AnsweredA legal expert on digital surveillance answers questions from Bolts readers about how police track your personal data, and what public officials could be doing to restrict it.boltsmag.orgA deep dive by @boltsmag.org into how police are using their checkbooks to re-shape society in ways that we neither anticipate. Thankfully, there are groups fighting back and we are listed as one of them. https://boltsmag.org/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-surveillance-your-questions-answered/
“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once Surveillance”: Your Questions AnsweredA legal expert on digital surveillance answers questions from Bolts readers about how police track your personal data, and what public officials could be doing to restrict it.boltsmag.org