Surveillance technology is inevitable. Or is it?

July 10, 2026 - 22:02

Since 2020, the landscape of public surveillance has shifted dramatically. Doorbell cameras have turned suburban streets into private monitoring networks. Automated license plate readers log the movements of millions of vehicles. Police departments have expanded real-time crime centers, and private companies sell facial recognition tools to landlords and retailers. The argument that this technology is inevitable has become a self-fulfilling prophecy: the more it spreads, the harder it is to imagine life without it.

But a growing number of communities are starting to ask whether the trade-off is worth it. We spoke with Electronic Freedom Foundation attorney Lisa Femia about the mounting privacy risks and the data collection that often happens without meaningful oversight. Femia points out that the sheer volume of data being gathered creates a permanent record of where people go, who they meet, and what they do. Even when the stated goal is public safety, the data can be used for purposes far beyond the original intent.

The tide may be turning in small but significant ways. Several cities have passed ordinances restricting the use of facial recognition by police. Some school districts have banned the use of surveillance software on student devices. And a handful of state legislatures are considering bills that would require warrants before law enforcement can access private camera feeds. Femia cautions that these victories are fragile. Without sustained public pressure, the default assumption that more surveillance equals more safety will likely win out. The question is not whether the technology can be stopped, but whether people are willing to demand limits on how it is used.