Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp last week

Intrusive facial recognition is being rolled out by the police without parliamentary scrutiny or public debate.

We need to regulate the use of this invasive and harmful technology before we sleepwalk into a surveillance state rooted in racial bias.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/aug/23/expert-rejects-met-police-claim-that-study-backs-bias-free-live-facial-recognition-use

#facialrecognition #surveillance #ukpolitics #ukpol #police #policing
Wen
@Wen@mastodon.scot  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

Police arrest 466 at Palestine Action protest, beating poll tax record

Hundreds openly flouted terrorism law banning the group, including an 89-year-old Jewish refugee and a former Guantanamo Bay inmate

http://archive.today/2025.08.09-205507/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/palestine-action-protests-march-5jgf7q6q8
(archive)

#PalestineAction#Policing#UkPolitics#Labour#Cooper
Wen
@Wen@mastodon.scot  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

Police arrest 466 at Palestine Action protest, beating poll tax record

Hundreds openly flouted terrorism law banning the group, including an 89-year-old Jewish refugee and a former Guantanamo Bay inmate

http://archive.today/2025.08.09-205507/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/palestine-action-protests-march-5jgf7q6q8
(archive)

#PalestineAction#Policing#UkPolitics#Labour#Cooper
Wen
@Wen@mastodon.scot  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

Government ‘influencers’

‘Lord’ Walney, a lobbyist for Israel, weapons manufacturers and the oil industry is urging the government/police to up the ante on protests over the banning of Palestine Action. Who would have thought it? One assumes those organisations protesting against fossil fuel companies will be next on the proscription path.

http://archive.today/2025.08.07-210743/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/palestine-action-uk-met-police-bg8zx6sjq

#PalestineAction#Walney#Authoritarian#Labour#Policing#CivilRights#Protests #JustStopOil#Facist#NotTerrorism

From the article - reads ‘However, Lord Walney, the government's former adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the charges announced by the Met were not enough to deter people from showing support and solidarity with the group. He told The Times: "This action from the Met sends a welcome signal that there are consequences for Gaza activists if they are lured into support for a proscribed organisation by Palestine Action ring leaders, but three charges on their own may well be insufficient to deter the current attempt to overwhelm the criminal justice system." Warning about Saturday's protest, he added: "There's a clear attempt by sympathisers of Palestine Action to try to overwhelm the criminal justice system by luring as many people as possible to this mass protest. "Many young. people, students and lots of people across the system risk getting duped by ringleaders of Palestine Action who are telling them 'don't worry you won't get charged even if you get arrested'. That's a terrible message to send out. "The slowness of this process is actually increasing the scale of the problem and that is something to which the attorney-general should have a view.”’
From the article - reads ‘However, Lord Walney, the government's former adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the charges announced by the Met were not enough to deter people from showing support and solidarity with the group. He told The Times: "This action from the Met sends a welcome signal that there are consequences for Gaza activists if they are lured into support for a proscribed organisation by Palestine Action ring leaders, but three charges on their own may well be insufficient to deter the current attempt to overwhelm the criminal justice system." Warning about Saturday's protest, he added: "There's a clear attempt by sympathisers of Palestine Action to try to overwhelm the criminal justice system by luring as many people as possible to this mass protest. "Many young. people, students and lots of people across the system risk getting duped by ringleaders of Palestine Action who are telling them 'don't worry you won't get charged even if you get arrested'. That's a terrible message to send out. "The slowness of this process is actually increasing the scale of the problem and that is something to which the attorney-general should have a view.”’
From the article - reads ‘However, Lord Walney, the government's former adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the charges announced by the Met were not enough to deter people from showing support and solidarity with the group. He told The Times: "This action from the Met sends a welcome signal that there are consequences for Gaza activists if they are lured into support for a proscribed organisation by Palestine Action ring leaders, but three charges on their own may well be insufficient to deter the current attempt to overwhelm the criminal justice system." Warning about Saturday's protest, he added: "There's a clear attempt by sympathisers of Palestine Action to try to overwhelm the criminal justice system by luring as many people as possible to this mass protest. "Many young. people, students and lots of people across the system risk getting duped by ringleaders of Palestine Action who are telling them 'don't worry you won't get charged even if you get arrested'. That's a terrible message to send out. "The slowness of this process is actually increasing the scale of the problem and that is something to which the attorney-general should have a view.”’
Wen
@Wen@mastodon.scot  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

Government ‘influencers’

‘Lord’ Walney, a lobbyist for Israel, weapons manufacturers and the oil industry is urging the government/police to up the ante on protests over the banning of Palestine Action. Who would have thought it? One assumes those organisations protesting against fossil fuel companies will be next on the proscription path.

http://archive.today/2025.08.07-210743/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/palestine-action-uk-met-police-bg8zx6sjq

#PalestineAction#Walney#Authoritarian#Labour#Policing#CivilRights#Protests #JustStopOil#Facist#NotTerrorism

From the article - reads ‘However, Lord Walney, the government's former adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the charges announced by the Met were not enough to deter people from showing support and solidarity with the group. He told The Times: "This action from the Met sends a welcome signal that there are consequences for Gaza activists if they are lured into support for a proscribed organisation by Palestine Action ring leaders, but three charges on their own may well be insufficient to deter the current attempt to overwhelm the criminal justice system." Warning about Saturday's protest, he added: "There's a clear attempt by sympathisers of Palestine Action to try to overwhelm the criminal justice system by luring as many people as possible to this mass protest. "Many young. people, students and lots of people across the system risk getting duped by ringleaders of Palestine Action who are telling them 'don't worry you won't get charged even if you get arrested'. That's a terrible message to send out. "The slowness of this process is actually increasing the scale of the problem and that is something to which the attorney-general should have a view.”’
From the article - reads ‘However, Lord Walney, the government's former adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the charges announced by the Met were not enough to deter people from showing support and solidarity with the group. He told The Times: "This action from the Met sends a welcome signal that there are consequences for Gaza activists if they are lured into support for a proscribed organisation by Palestine Action ring leaders, but three charges on their own may well be insufficient to deter the current attempt to overwhelm the criminal justice system." Warning about Saturday's protest, he added: "There's a clear attempt by sympathisers of Palestine Action to try to overwhelm the criminal justice system by luring as many people as possible to this mass protest. "Many young. people, students and lots of people across the system risk getting duped by ringleaders of Palestine Action who are telling them 'don't worry you won't get charged even if you get arrested'. That's a terrible message to send out. "The slowness of this process is actually increasing the scale of the problem and that is something to which the attorney-general should have a view.”’
From the article - reads ‘However, Lord Walney, the government's former adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the charges announced by the Met were not enough to deter people from showing support and solidarity with the group. He told The Times: "This action from the Met sends a welcome signal that there are consequences for Gaza activists if they are lured into support for a proscribed organisation by Palestine Action ring leaders, but three charges on their own may well be insufficient to deter the current attempt to overwhelm the criminal justice system." Warning about Saturday's protest, he added: "There's a clear attempt by sympathisers of Palestine Action to try to overwhelm the criminal justice system by luring as many people as possible to this mass protest. "Many young. people, students and lots of people across the system risk getting duped by ringleaders of Palestine Action who are telling them 'don't worry you won't get charged even if you get arrested'. That's a terrible message to send out. "The slowness of this process is actually increasing the scale of the problem and that is something to which the attorney-general should have a view.”’
AI6YR Ben
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

From the article:

"“What we're learning is that two of the country's most popular home improvement stores are contributing to the massive surveillance dragnet coordinated by Flock Safety,” Dave Maass, director of investigations at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told 404 Media. “Do customers know that these stores are collecting their data and sharing indiscriminately? Probably not. Have these companies given thought about how this data might put their customers in danger, whether it's cops stalking their exes or aggressive ICE agents targeting yard workers? Probably not. If these companies want customers to feel safe in their homes, then they should make sure they're also safe where they buy their supplies.""

#privacy #ice #fascism #policing
AI6YR Ben
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org replied  ·  activity timestamp 3 weeks ago

From the article:

"“What we're learning is that two of the country's most popular home improvement stores are contributing to the massive surveillance dragnet coordinated by Flock Safety,” Dave Maass, director of investigations at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told 404 Media. “Do customers know that these stores are collecting their data and sharing indiscriminately? Probably not. Have these companies given thought about how this data might put their customers in danger, whether it's cops stalking their exes or aggressive ICE agents targeting yard workers? Probably not. If these companies want customers to feel safe in their homes, then they should make sure they're also safe where they buy their supplies.""

#privacy #ice #fascism #policing
AI6YR Ben
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org  ·  activity timestamp last month

TIL I learned that police plant "abandoned" cars everywhere hoping to tempt people to break into them and steal them, so they can arrest people. They apparently often snag people just wondering why the heck there is an abandoned car on their street.

This American Life: 394: Bait and Switch

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/394/transcript

#policing #crime
AI6YR Ben
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org  ·  activity timestamp last month

TIL I learned that police plant "abandoned" cars everywhere hoping to tempt people to break into them and steal them, so they can arrest people. They apparently often snag people just wondering why the heck there is an abandoned car on their street.

This American Life: 394: Bait and Switch

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/394/transcript

#policing #crime
Police State UK
@PoliceStateUK@mastodon.me.uk  ·  activity timestamp last month

"Justice Chamberlain refused Ammori’s request for a stay on the proscription order, but said that he was doing so because the order does not make pro-#Palestine protests illegal and that former #PalestineAction members are even free to commit similar criminal damage, which would not cease to be criminal but neither would the crime be ‘aggravated’ by the ban on PA."

#UKPol#Protest#Policing

https://skwawkbox.org/2025/07/16/police-abuse-of-pal-action-proscription-to-harass-other-protesters-already-ruled-unlawful-by-judge/
Police State UK
@PoliceStateUK@mastodon.me.uk  ·  activity timestamp last month

"Justice Chamberlain refused Ammori’s request for a stay on the proscription order, but said that he was doing so because the order does not make pro-#Palestine protests illegal and that former #PalestineAction members are even free to commit similar criminal damage, which would not cease to be criminal but neither would the crime be ‘aggravated’ by the ban on PA."

#UKPol#Protest#Policing

https://skwawkbox.org/2025/07/16/police-abuse-of-pal-action-proscription-to-harass-other-protesters-already-ruled-unlawful-by-judge/
Strypey
@strypey@mastodon.nzoss.nz  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the blogosphere ...

2 new #Disintermedia blog posts to celebrate the southern, seasonal new year. One a sort of state of the blog update;

https://disintermedia.substack.com/p/guess-whos-back-tell-a-friend

... and another Indymedia Story about my experience with a police informant who spent a decade spying on activist groups, including many I was involved in;

https://disintermedia.substack.com/p/indymedia-stories-3-rob-and-me

#activism #policing#Indymedia
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

First the police, now Big Tech wants to put 'crime-predicting' tech in UK probation services.

A lack of transparency and reliance on flawed data means that institutional racism will be hardwired into the justice system.

All at the expense of dignity and rights.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/01/tech-firms-suggested-placing-trackers-under-offenders-skin-at-meeting-with-justice-secretary

#police #policing#SafetyNotSurveillance #predictivepolicing #ukpolitics #ukpol #justice #bigtech
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org replied  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

Tech that claims to 'predict' crime is only as 'objective' as the data it's fed.

With crime data reflecting historic racist and discriminatory practices, we must act now to prevent injustice for over policed communities.

Sign the petition to BAN it (UK) ⬇️

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ban-crime-predicting-police-tech

#police #policing#SafetyNotSurveillance #predictivepolicing #ukpolitics #ukpol #justice
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

First the police, now Big Tech wants to put 'crime-predicting' tech in UK probation services.

A lack of transparency and reliance on flawed data means that institutional racism will be hardwired into the justice system.

All at the expense of dignity and rights.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/01/tech-firms-suggested-placing-trackers-under-offenders-skin-at-meeting-with-justice-secretary

#police #policing#SafetyNotSurveillance #predictivepolicing #ukpolitics #ukpol #justice #bigtech
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

"At their heart, these technologies infringe human rights."

Last week @sianberry tabled an amendment to the UK Crime and Policing Bill that would prohibit the use and deployment of dangerous 'crime-predicting' police tech.

These systems will subject overpoliced communities to more surveillance. More discrimination. More injustice.

Sign the petition to BAN it ➡️ https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ban-crime-predicting-police-tech

#SafetyNotSurveillance #surveillance #precrime #predictivepolicing #police #policing #ukpolitics #ukpol

Video of Siân Berry (Green MP) speaking in the UK House of Commons about an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that "would prohibit the deployment and use of certain forms of “predictive” policing technologies, particularly those that rely on automated decision-making, profiling and artificial intelligence, to assess the likelihood that individuals or groups will commit criminal offences." "Such technologies, however cleverly sold, will always need to be built on existing, flawed police data, or data from other flawed and biased public and private sources. That means that communities that have historically been over-policed will be more likely to be identified as being “at risk” of future criminal behaviour.... At their heart they infringe human rights, including the right to privacy and the right to be presumed innocent."
Video of Siân Berry (Green MP) speaking in the UK House of Commons about an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that "would prohibit the deployment and use of certain forms of “predictive” policing technologies, particularly those that rely on automated decision-making, profiling and artificial intelligence, to assess the likelihood that individuals or groups will commit criminal offences." "Such technologies, however cleverly sold, will always need to be built on existing, flawed police data, or data from other flawed and biased public and private sources. That means that communities that have historically been over-policed will be more likely to be identified as being “at risk” of future criminal behaviour.... At their heart they infringe human rights, including the right to privacy and the right to be presumed innocent."
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 2 months ago

"At their heart, these technologies infringe human rights."

Last week @sianberry tabled an amendment to the UK Crime and Policing Bill that would prohibit the use and deployment of dangerous 'crime-predicting' police tech.

These systems will subject overpoliced communities to more surveillance. More discrimination. More injustice.

Sign the petition to BAN it ➡️ https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ban-crime-predicting-police-tech

#SafetyNotSurveillance #surveillance #precrime #predictivepolicing #police #policing #ukpolitics #ukpol

Video of Siân Berry (Green MP) speaking in the UK House of Commons about an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that "would prohibit the deployment and use of certain forms of “predictive” policing technologies, particularly those that rely on automated decision-making, profiling and artificial intelligence, to assess the likelihood that individuals or groups will commit criminal offences." "Such technologies, however cleverly sold, will always need to be built on existing, flawed police data, or data from other flawed and biased public and private sources. That means that communities that have historically been over-policed will be more likely to be identified as being “at risk” of future criminal behaviour.... At their heart they infringe human rights, including the right to privacy and the right to be presumed innocent."
Video of Siân Berry (Green MP) speaking in the UK House of Commons about an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that "would prohibit the deployment and use of certain forms of “predictive” policing technologies, particularly those that rely on automated decision-making, profiling and artificial intelligence, to assess the likelihood that individuals or groups will commit criminal offences." "Such technologies, however cleverly sold, will always need to be built on existing, flawed police data, or data from other flawed and biased public and private sources. That means that communities that have historically been over-policed will be more likely to be identified as being “at risk” of future criminal behaviour.... At their heart they infringe human rights, including the right to privacy and the right to be presumed innocent."