EPIC Concerned About Drone Use in Border Security Without Proper Privacy Protections

Enhanced U.S. border security, especially the use of drones equipped with facial recognition technology, will put "U.S. citizens living on the border under ceaseless surveillance by the government," wrote the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in a Wednesday letter to leaders of the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security. EPIC asked the letter be entered into the record of the subcommittee's hearing Thursday on the issue of a border wall, saying the committee should "exercise great care" that people's rights are preserved when seeking a compromise on the wall. The privacy group said enhanced border surveillance most likely will "sweep up" people's personal data. It said the government needs to assess privacy implications, develop new policy and procedures and provide independent oversight to protect people's rights, all of which should be made public. EPIC said drones will become a "powerful surveillance tool" because they're inexpensive and efficient, and cheap storage allows surveillance data to be maintained in repositories. EPIC also asked the government codify drone privacy best practices released by the Department of Homeland Security in 2015. The letter was addressed to subcommittee Chairman Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and ranking member Stephen Lynch, D-Mass. In a separate matter, EPIC sued the Federal Aviation Administration in August, saying the agency failed to develop drone privacy rules (see 1702280006 and 1608260020).