In this conversation we speak with Ed Vogel from Southerners Against Surveillance Systems & Infrastructure about the rapid expansion of various police surveillance programs. We talk about the nexus of private corporations, policing agencies, and nonprofit foundations and organizations that facilitate the expansion of these technologies and how they seek to circumvent democratic processes and oversight mechanisms. We discuss ICE, Customs & Border Patrol, Atlanta's Cop City, Shot Spotter, Flock Safety, Fusus, and automated license plate readers. Ed also talks about what we do and don't know about the role played by corporations like Target and Home Depot in the policing surveillance network.

As we see the terror that ICE is enacting in Minneapolis, this conversation offers a set of analyses that can help us understand the problem of ICE's power beyond simply the goons kidnapping or executing people in the street.

Rather than just focusing on the expanding problem, we do talk about some of the ways that local communities are fighting back and winning campaigns against the adoption of these technologies. We also talk about maintaining good digital hygiene as an act of solidarity for people in social movements.

There are a number of articles that Ed either authored, co-authored, or contributed documents to in the show description. We reference these throughout the conversation and recommend you read them for further details.

Southerners Against Surveillance Systems & Infrastructure has a hands-on digital security workshop Wednesday, February 4th. During the session they will walk through how to better protect yourself and community against how ICE is accessing phone data for their kidnappings.

Follow SASSI on IG or Bluesky or visit their website.

Recently we also featured Dwayne Monroe during one of our livestreams to talk about ICE's use of the surveillance program known as Webloc, the SASSI training will address how to protect cellphone data from this program.

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Background Photo Credit Chad Davis