- The ACLU of Massachusetts is releasing an online toolkit for defense attorneys to uncover secret police surveillance use.
- The toolkit includes legal motions to force disclosure of surveillance tech like facial recognition, license plate readers, and AI reports.
- It also features preservation motions to prevent automatic deletion of surveillance data by government and private vendors.
- The effort aims to address the lag between police adopting new tech and courts ruling on its legality.
- Examples show police often hide surveillance use, even from prosecutors, via secrecy agreements or vague warrants.
- The toolkit helps attorneys request the full scope of surveillance, as many currently ask for limited records.
- Preservation motions target self-destructing evidence, such as AI-drafted police reports or automatically deleted footage.
- Massachusetts courts have shown support for digital privacy, with rulings against withheld evidence and for warrant requirements.
- The release coincides with a recent Supreme Court ruling on geofence warrants, which the toolkit addresses.
- The ACLU plans to adapt the toolkit for other states and gather feedback from attorneys using the motions.