Sacramento Uses Smart Electric Meters to Spy on Residents
9 months ago
- #electricity
- #privacy
- #surveillance
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) monitors electricity usage and reports high consumption to police.
- Over 33,000 households flagged for 'high' electricity usage, often leading to unwarranted police visits.
- One individual, Alfonso Nguyen, was falsely accused of growing cannabis due to his electric wheelchair usage.
- Police target high electricity users, suspecting illegal cannabis cultivation, despite legal home growing limits.
- SMUD uses smart meters to collect detailed electricity data in 15-minute intervals, aiding police surveillance.
- Threshold for 'suspicious' electricity usage has dropped from 7,000 kWh/month in 2014 to 2,800 kWh/month in 2023.
- SMUD and police disproportionately target Asian households, leading to a lawsuit over racial profiling.
- EFF argues SMUD's data sharing with police violates California's constitutional protections against unreasonable searches.
- Smart devices also allow utilities to remotely control home appliances, often without clear user consent.
- Programs offering lower bills in exchange for utility control over devices like thermostats are becoming common.