Published by the Harvard Kennedy School, this piece provides practical tools for identifying surveillance infrastructure in your city—and shows how communities can influence oversight through public records and advocacy.
In May 2021, I published Your Guide to Watching the Watchers with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Technology and Public Purpose Project. Based on my research into “smart city” technologies and public records, the essay offers a practical framework for spotting and understanding surveillance in everyday city life.
It’s organized around three core categories:
- Cameras, including both visible CCTV and hidden devices embedded in streetlights, parking meters, and other infrastructure
- Mobility tracking, such as cell phone location data, license plate readers, and shared mobility trip data
- Sensors, from audio and motion detectors to thermal and environmental sensors that may be used to monitor individuals
For each, I explain what to look for, what data may be collected, and how it might be used. The essay also includes tips for searching city websites and filing public records requests to uncover how surveillance tools are procured, implemented, and governed.
The goal is to make local surveillance legible so people can challenge it through oversight and action.