If you'd like to give in-person or virtual comment at the Cambridge City Council hearing on #ShotSpotter, the hearing link is now open for public comment: https://www.cambridgema.gov/Departments/CityCouncil/PublicCommentSignUpForm
For residents of Cambridge, Massachusetts and surrounding communities, on June 2, 2025, Cambridge City Council is holding a hearing reviewing the city's use of #ShotSpotter audio surveillance technology.
This technology claims to use AI to specifically identify the sounds of gunshots, but in fact is highly unreliable, and primarily results in higher policing of the disproportionately black and brown neighborhoods where the devices are deployed.
Agreed. They're a little old (November 2022) but I've got a lot of #StopShotspotter references in https://privacy.thenexus.today/shotspotter-in-the-news/
Also @tariq https://privacy.thenexus.today/stopshotspotter-in-seattle-update-november-3/ has a bunch more names of Seattle folk who were opposing ShotSpotter -- Angélica Cházaro of UW, Shaun Scott, community organizer and policy and field manager for the Statewide Poverty Action Network, LéTania Severe of Solidarity Budget, WA People's Privacy
Here Are the Secret Locations of ShotSpotter Gunfire Sensors
Until now, the exact locations of SoundThinking’s sensors have been kept secret from both its police department clients and the public at large. A leaked document, which WIRED obtained from a source under the condition of anonymity, details the alleged precise locations and uptime of 25,580 ShotSpotter microphones.
https://www.wired.com/story/shotspotter-secret-sensor-locations-leak/
Brandon Johnson didn't attend this shotspotter informational meeting yesterday. He's the one who gets to say yes or no to the contract. The meeting itself seemed like it was PR for the system, with a panel dominated by system advocates, and it's CEO. Who was this CCPSA meeting for? What point is public comment at a meeting where the person making the decisions isn't present?
https://bertshouse.social/@ChicagoNewsBot/111901926560358224
ShotSpotter CEO, Public Safety Leaders Clash With Activists As City’s Contract Set To Expire https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/02/09/shotspotter-ceo-public-safety-leaders-clash-with-activists-in-tense-meeting-on-technologys-expiring-contract/
The Maker of ShotSpotter Is Buying the World’s Most Infamous Predictive Policing Tech
https://www.wired.com/story/soundthinking-geolitica-acquisition-predictive-policing/
SoundThinking, the company behind the gunshot-detection system ShotSpotter, is quietly acquiring staff, patents, and customers of the firm that created the notorious predictive policing software PredPol, WIRED has learned.
In an August earnings call, SoundThinking CEO Ralph Clark announced to investors that the company was negotiating an agreement to acquire parts of Geolitica—formerly called PredPol—and transition its customers to SoundThinking’s own “patrol management” solution.
Progressives press Chicago mayor over pledge to end controversial policing tool
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/16/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-anti-crime-promise?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Alexandra Thorn
Jon (now at neuromatch.social)
The Nexus of Privacy
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seeding change