Tracked and Traced

Detroit Police are likely to increase the amount of surveillance technology they use this year. In the final episode of Tracked and Traced, producer David Leins talks with reporters Bryce Huffman (Bridge Detroit), Eli Newman (WDET) and Russ McNamara (WDET) to talk about Evolv weapons detection technology, ShotSpotter, FOIA requests, and bodycam footage. Plus, Antajuan Scott talks with organizer and poet Tawana Petty about data rights in Detroit.

There are over 600 parking meters equipped with cameras on the streets of Hamtramck, MI. Tom Perkins investigates how the new meters will be used for surveillance, and what safeguards are in place for residents. Then, an interview with Kelsey Finch, Senior Counsel for the Future of Privacy Forum, about the growing presence of surveillance infrastructure in U.S. cities.

In this episode, we talk about the risks and benefits of drones. Avishay Artsy reports on how a ban on Chinese-made drones could set back efforts to fight wildfires in the U.S. Then, an interview with Arthur Holland Michel, drone researcher and author of “Eyes In The Sky: The Secret Rise of Gorgon Stare and How It Will Watch Us All.”

Paper-based record-keeping is largely a thing of the past, but not for the foster and adoptive systems in the U.S. In this episode, Patrick Vaughan talks with Karlos Dillard, Sixto Cancel and Dr. Sarah Lageson, who make a case for a centralized, digital record-keeping system to better serve foster and adoptive youth.

Sousveillance is the recording of an activity by a participant in the activity. In this episode, Antajuan and Natasha explore the idea of sousveillance with Hasan Elahi, who began surveilling himself for the FBI after being erroneously labeled a terrorist. Plus, Shanmin Sultana talks with an artist and a social media influencer about what happens when they put their lives online.

"The seemingly endless cycle of mass shootings has scarred America’s schools. In response, Dearborn Public Schools and many districts across the nation are ramping up school security efforts in order to prepare for threats and protect students and staff. But researchers and advocates warn these methods could have harmful consequences in the meantime. In this episode, Eleanore Catolico investigates a new agreement between the schools and the police in Dearborn, Michigan. Plus, Chris Gilliard joins Antajuan Scott to talk about the effects of digital surveillance on students.

How much is your data worth to a company like Facebook? Who profits off of your daily life? WDET’s Russ McNamara tries to find out who owns our data, and if it’s safe — which takes him down a surveillance capitalism rabbit hole. Plus, Antajuan and Natasha are joined by two guests: Tech entrepreneur Tim O’Reilly, founder of O’Reilly Media and author of “WTF: What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us”; and Rob Johnson, president of the Institute for New Economic Thinking and host of the podcast “Economics and Beyond with Rob Johnson.” After publishing this episode, Securus Technologies contacted WDET, their comments are reflected in this version of the story.

The seemingly endless cycle of mass shootings has scarred America’s schools. In response, Dearborn Public Schools and many districts across the nation are ramping up school security efforts in order to prepare for threats and protect students and staff. But researchers and advocates warn these methods could have harmful consequences in the meantime. In this episode, Eleanore Catolico investigates a new agreement between the schools and the police in Dearborn, Michigan. Plus, Chris Gilliard joins Antajuan Scott to talk about the effects of digital surveillance on students.

The Detroit Police Department says that Project Green Light improves public safety by providing live feeds of surveillance footage from over 700 participating businesses in the city. But, watchdogs and activists aren’t convinced. WDET’s Laura Herberg investigates the pros and cons of the city’s controversial surveillance program. Then, Eric Williams of the Detroit Justice Center talks with Antajuan Scott and Natasha T Miller about how increased police surveillance affects Detroiters.

After the 9/11 attacks, surveillance in the United States expanded, changing our society forever. For American Muslims, that meant being the subject of surveillance by the U.S. government. Nargis Rahman tells the story of two families who were targeted in the years after the attacks. Then, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Spencer Ackerman talks with hosts Antajuan Scott and Natasha T Miller about the Patriot Act and its wide-ranging impacts...