Democracy cannot flourish when privacy is under threat.
Rulers have spied on their subjects since time immemorial. The less democratic the government, the greater the impulse to monitor its population.
Our founders established safeguards against this behavior—most notably, the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. However, two trends are coalescing to fuel a new and dangerous era of American mass surveillance:
1. The rise of Big Tech and digital surveillance capacities that reach far beyond anything that James Madison could have imagined
2. A federal government that, instead of upholding the right to privacy, seeks to weaponize technology to consolidate its power and to marginalize or prosecute political rivals
_Mass surveillance of American citizens has arrived at federal and local levels._ It has the potential to radically alter the lives of every American—and to radically shape the future of our democracy.
Participants in this session of **Democracy Forum** will explore the “brave new world” of mass surveillance, its impact on our everyday lives, and its implications for our democracy. They will also learn about ways to counter mass surveillance and to protect their privacy.
**PROGRAM**
Nationally recognized experts will discuss these critical developments:
– The latest “advances” in surveillance technology and deployment
– The actions of the Trump administration to promote mass surveillance
– The growing alliance of Big Government and Big Tech
– The spread of surveillance technology in our communities
– The proliferation of apps on our personal devices (including mobile phones and personal computers) that monitor our actions and speech, both online and offline
– The increasing adoption of mass surveillance methods by ICE and other agencies
– The use of mass surveillance technologies to target, harass, and prosecute people of color and vulnerable populations
Following a plenary session featuring expert panel, there will be a series of breakout sessions:
– Digital Privacy
– Weaponization of Mass Surveillance Technology Against Immigrants
– Cameras on Our Streets: Automated License Plate Readers and Us
– Mass Surveillance and Racial Justice
– Mass Surveillance and Dissent
– Legal Protections and Remedies: What Is Working and What Has Failed
Participants will leave with deepened knowledge and understanding of these topics:
– How mass surveillance affects our lives—on our personal devices and in our local communities
– How mass surveillance intersects or conflicts with democracy, privacy, and civil liberties
– How the alliance of Big Government and Big Tech threatens constitutional and legal privacy protections
– How organized citizens can work to protect public safety and civil liberties
**SPEAKERS**
A wide range of experts on mass surveillance and civil liberties will lead the plenary and breakout sessions. Here are the speakers confirmed thus far:
**Cindy Cohn** has led the Electronic Frontier Foundation—an organization that defends civil liberties in the digital age—for the past thirty years. A leading advocate against government overreach, she has spearheaded landmark legal battles to limit mass surveillance and to protect constitutional rights against threats posed by modern technology.
**Brian Hofer** is the executive director of Secure Justice. He is also the architect of Oakland’s pioneering surveillance technology ordinance and the chair of its privacy advisory commission. A privacy advocate known for his work on local government oversight, he specializes in turning civil rights advocacy into enforceable policy that limits unwarranted state spying.
**CONNECT. LEARN. ACT.**
_Who’s Watching? Safeguarding Our Privacy_ is the third presentation of **Democracy Forum**, a series of action-oriented events hosted by Indivisible Palo Alto Plus. Democracy Forum aims to provide a “deep dive” educational experience that will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools that they need to preserve and strengthen the American democratic experiment.
**New to IPA+? Join us at 2:30 PM!**
If you’re looking for a community to support you in taking action, we’d love to have you join us for an **Orientation + Social** event from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM, right before the DEMOCRACY FORUM event at the same location. It’s a fun, welcoming introduction to Indivisible Palo Alto Plus—a chance to meet your people, figure out where you fit in, and celebrate what we’ve built together. No experience required. All are welcome. [Learn more and register.](https://www.mobilize.us/ipaplus/event/966172/)