The lawsuit, which seeks to dismantle this invasive practice, highlights how SMUD's "smart meters" have been covertly transformed into tools of surveillance. This illegal surveillance disproportionately affected Asian American communities and violated the privacy rights of countless residents.
For over 10 years, SMUD has been sifting through the energy usage data of its 650,000 customers, flagging over 33,000 households as "suspicious" based on their electricity consumption. These tips, often generated without individualized suspicion or judicial oversight, have been routinely passed on to local law enforcement agencies.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed a lawsuit against the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), accusing the public utility of conducting an unconstitutional mass surveillance program that has targeted tens of thousands of households over the past decade.
The lawsuit, which seeks to dismantle this invasive practice, highlights how SMUD's "smart meters" have been covertly transformed into tools of surveillance. This illegal surveillance disproportionately affected Asian American communities and violated the privacy rights of countless residents.
For over 10 years, SMUD has been sifting through the energy usage data of its 650,000 customers, flagging over 33,000 households as "suspicious" based on their electricity consumption. These tips, often generated without individualized suspicion or judicial oversight, have been routinely passed on to local law enforcement agencies.
The EFF's legal filing reveals that SMUD analysts have sent detailed reports – including names, addresses and usage histories – to police departments. This effectively turns the utility into an arm of law enforcement....<<<Read More>>>....
