City Government
OP-ED: Oakland Poised to Lead in Protecting Privacy Rights
By Brian Hofer and JP Massar
Here in Oakland we have no citywide privacy policy, no privacy or data-retention policies for use of surveillance equipment, and no policy concerning the use of the Oakland Police Department’s cellphone tower-mimicking Stingray devices.
These are so controversial that police across the nation actively conceal their use from courts and defense attorneys, going so far as to dismiss charges at trial rather than reveal the technology (“Judge threatens detective with contempt…,” Baltimore Sun, Nov. 17, 2014). And yet, neither the purchase of Stingrays nor their use has ever been knowingly approved by the City Council.
On May 12, the Oakland City Council’s Public Safety Committee is poised to vote on recommendations created by the Ad Hoc Privacy Committee that they established a year ago.
Councilmembers will consider a privacy and data retention policy for the scaled back Port Domain Awareness Center (DAC), and is also being asked to establish a new, permanent committee to advise the council on broad privacy and data-related matters. This will in turn create a citywide privacy policy.
A proposal to adopt a first-of-its-kind surveillance equipment ordinance has also been made.
If adopted, these recommendations will ensure that there is robust public debate on privacy issues before council approval of future surveillance projects, and that the effectiveness of surveillance tools be analyzed, reported publicly and undergo independent audits.
Once passed by the full council, these will significantly protect the right to privacy for residents in this age of big data and Mass Surveillance.
Taken as a whole, the implementation of the committee’s recommendations would make Oakland the national leader in protecting privacy rights. Other cities are pursuing a similar path.
Seattle has created a permanent privacy committee and adopted a surveillance equipment ordinance. Menlo Park recently adopted an ordinance that regulates the use of automated license plate readers and requires quarterly performance reports.
San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos and Santa Clara Supervisor Joe Simitian are working with the ACLU to introduce in their jurisdictions the same type of surveillance equipment ordinance to be introduced here.
The Los Angeles Times endorsed the ACLU’s ordinance, stating: “The ACLU’s approach to vetting new technologies is so pragmatic that cities, counties and law enforcement agencies throughout California would be foolish not to embrace it.”
With the adoption of these recommendations as written, the Oakland City Council can show it is earnest about protecting its citizens’ privacy rights. By supporting their full implementation, city staff and law enforcement can demonstrate that they intend to earn the community’s trust by operating within the bounds of the Constitution, city policy and civilian oversight. As the Los Angeles Times editorialized, “trust us is not enough.”
Without active citizens coming together to “watch the watchers,” history shows that legislation alone is insufficient.
The Oakland Privacy Working Group is one such group. Formed two years ago to stand up for privacy in Oakland, it has attempted to keep city officials honest – fighting against the DAC and initiating a number of Public Records Requests to shed light on surveillance contracts, influence of surveillance contractors, and use of surveillance equipment.
Find them at oaklandprivacy.wordpress.com and on Twitter: @oaklandprivacy.
Brian Hofer is chair of the Ad Hoc Privacy Committee. JP Massar is a member of the Oakland Privacy Working Group.
By Brian Hofer and JP Massar
Here in Oakland we have no citywide privacy policy, no privacy or data-retention policies for use of surveillance equipment, and no policy concerning the use of the Oakland Police Department’s cellphone tower-mimicking Stingray devices.
These are so controversial that police across the nation actively conceal their use from courts and defense attorneys, going so far as to dismiss charges at trial rather than reveal the technology (“Judge threatens detective with contempt…,” Baltimore Sun, Nov. 17, 2014). And yet, neither the purchase of Stingrays nor their use has ever been knowingly approved by the City Council.
On May 12, the Oakland City Council’s Public Safety Committee is poised to vote on recommendations created by the Ad Hoc Privacy Committee that they established a year ago.
Councilmembers will consider a privacy and data retention policy for the scaled back Port Domain Awareness Center (DAC), and is also being asked to establish a new, permanent committee to advise the council on broad privacy and data-related matters. This will in turn create a citywide privacy policy.
A proposal to adopt a first-of-its-kind surveillance equipment ordinance has also been made.
If adopted, these recommendations will ensure that there is robust public debate on privacy issues before council approval of future surveillance projects, and that the effectiveness of surveillance tools be analyzed, reported publicly and undergo independent audits.
Once passed by the full council, these will significantly protect the right to privacy for residents in this age of big data and Mass Surveillance.
Taken as a whole, the implementation of the committee’s recommendations would make Oakland the national leader in protecting privacy rights. Other cities are pursuing a similar path.
Seattle has created a permanent privacy committee and adopted a surveillance equipment ordinance. Menlo Park recently adopted an ordinance that regulates the use of automated license plate readers and requires quarterly performance reports.
San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos and Santa Clara Supervisor Joe Simitian are working with the ACLU to introduce in their jurisdictions the same type of surveillance equipment ordinance to be introduced here.
The Los Angeles Times endorsed the ACLU’s ordinance, stating: “The ACLU’s approach to vetting new technologies is so pragmatic that cities, counties and law enforcement agencies throughout California would be foolish not to embrace it.”
With the adoption of these recommendations as written, the Oakland City Council can show it is earnest about protecting its citizens’ privacy rights. By supporting their full implementation, city staff and law enforcement can demonstrate that they intend to earn the community’s trust by operating within the bounds of the Constitution, city policy and civilian oversight. As the Los Angeles Times editorialized, “trust us is not enough.”
Without active citizens coming together to “watch the watchers,” history shows that legislation alone is insufficient.
The Oakland Privacy Working Group is one such group. Formed two years ago to stand up for privacy in Oakland, it has attempted to keep city officials honest – fighting against the DAC and initiating a number of Public Records Requests to shed light on surveillance contracts, influence of surveillance contractors, and use of surveillance equipment.
Find them at oaklandprivacy.wordpress.com and on Twitter: @oaklandprivacy.
Brian Hofer is chair of the Ad Hoc Privacy Committee. JP Massar is a member of the Oakland Privacy Working Group.
Activism
Oakland Post Endorses Barbara Lee
Barbara Lee will be able to unify the city around Oakland’s critical budget and financial issues, since she will walk into the mayor’s office with the support of a super majority of seven city council members — enabling her to achieve much-needed consensus on moving Oakland into a successful future.
As we end the celebration of Women’s History Month in Oakland, we endorse Barbara Lee, a woman of demonstrated historical significance. In our opinion, she has the best chance of uniting the city and achieving our needs for affordable housing, public safety, and fiscal accountability.
As a former small business owner, Barbara Lee understands how to apply tools needed to revitalize Oakland’s downtown, uptown, and neighborhood businesses.
Barbara Lee will be able to unify the city around Oakland’s critical budget and financial issues, since she will walk into the mayor’s office with the support of a super majority of seven city council members — enabling her to achieve much-needed consensus on moving Oakland into a successful future.
It is notable that many of those who fought politically on both sides of the recent recall election battles have now laid down their weapons and become brothers and sisters in support of Barbara Lee. The Oakland Post is pleased to join them.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025
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Bay Area
Five Years After COVID-19 Began, a Struggling Child Care Workforce Faces New Threats
Five years ago, as COVID-19 lockdowns and school closures began, most early educators continued to work in person, risking their own health and that of their families. “Early educators were called essential, but they weren’t provided with the personal protective equipment they needed to stay safe,” said CSCCE Executive Director Lea Austin. “There were no special shopping hours or ways for them to access safety materials in those early and scary months of the pandemic, leaving them to compete with other shoppers. One state even advised them to wear trash bags if they couldn’t find PPE.”
UC Berkeley News
In the first eight months of the COVID-19 pandemic alone, 166,000 childcare jobs were lost across the nation. Significant recovery didn’t begin until the advent of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Child Care Stabilization funds in April 2021.
Today, child care employment is back to slightly above pre-pandemic levels, but job growth has remained sluggish at 1.4% since ARPA funding allocations ended in October 2023, according to analysis by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at UC Berkeley. In the last six months, childcare employment has hovered around 1.1 million.
Yet more than two million American parents report job changes due to problems accessing child care. Why does the childcare sector continue to face a workforce crisis that has predated the pandemic? Inadequate compensation drives high turnover rates and workforce shortages that predate the pandemic. Early childhood educators are skilled professionals; many have more than 15 years of experience and a college degree, but their compensation does not reflect their expertise. The national median hourly wage is $13.07, and only a small proportion of early educators receive benefits.
And now a new round of challenges is about to hit childcare. The low wages paid in early care and education result in 43% of early educator families depending on at least one public support program, such as Medicaid or food stamps, both of which are threatened by potential federal funding cuts. Job numbers will likely fall as many early childhood educators need to find jobs with healthcare benefits or better pay.
In addition, one in five child care workers are immigrants, and executive orders driving deportation and ICE raids will further devastate the entire early care and education system. These stresses are part of the historical lack of respect the workforce faces, despite all they contribute to children, families, and the economy.
Five years ago, as COVID-19 lockdowns and school closures began, most early educators continued to work in person, risking their own health and that of their families. “Early educators were called essential, but they weren’t provided with the personal protective equipment they needed to stay safe,” said CSCCE Executive Director Lea Austin. “There were no special shopping hours or ways for them to access safety materials in those early and scary months of the pandemic, leaving them to compete with other shoppers. One state even advised them to wear trash bags if they couldn’t find PPE.”
The economic impact was equally dire. Even as many providers tried to remain open to ensure their financial security, the combination of higher costs to meet safety protocols and lower revenue from fewer children enrolled led to job losses, increased debt, and program closures.
Eventually, the federal government responded with historic short-term investments through ARPA, which stabilized childcare programs. These funds provided money to increase pay or provide financial relief to early educators to improve their income and well-being. The childcare sector began to slowly recover. Larger job gains were made in 2022 and 2023, and as of November 2023, national job numbers had slightly surpassed pre-pandemic levels, though state and metro areas continued to fluctuate.
Many states have continued to support the workforce after ARPA funding expired in late 2024. In Maine, a salary supplement initiative has provided monthly stipends of $240-$540 to educators working in licensed home- or center-based care, based on education and experience, making it one of the nation’s leaders in its support of early educators. Early educators say the program has enabled them to raise wages, which has improved staff retention. Yet now, Governor Janet Mills is considering cutting the stipend program in half.
“History shows that once an emergency is perceived to have passed, public funding that supports the early care and education workforce is pulled,” says Austin. “You can’t build a stable childcare workforce and system without consistent public investment and respect for all that early educators contribute.”
The Center for the Study of Childcare Employment is the source of this story.
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Oakland Post Endorses Barbara Lee
Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025
Oakland’s Most Vulnerable Neighborhoods Are Struggling to Eat and Stay Healthy
Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas Honors California Women in Construction with State Proclamation, Policy Ideas
Report Offers Policies, Ideas to Improve the Workplace Experiences of Black Women in California
Five Years After COVID-19 Began, a Struggling Child Care Workforce Faces New Threats
Trump Order Slashes Federal Agencies Supporting Minority Business and Neighborhood Development
We Fought on Opposite Sides of the Sheng Thao Recall. Here’s Why We’re Uniting Behind Barbara Lee for Oakland Mayor
Faith Leaders Back Barbara Lee for Mayor, Criticize Candidate Loren Taylor for Dishonest Campaigning
Group Takes First Steps to Recall District Attorney Diana Becton
Candidates Barbara Lee and Loren Taylor Raise Nearly $550,000 Combined for April 15 Mayor’s Race
District Delegates to State Democratic Party Central Committee Meeting Celebrate Election Victory
Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers
Oakland Post: Week of March 19 – 25, 2025
Recently Approved Budget Plan Favors Wealthy, Slashes Aid to Low-Income Americans
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Activism4 weeks agoUndocumented Workers Are Struggling to Feed Themselves. Slashed Budgets and New Immigration Policies Bring Fresh Challenges
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Activism2 weeks agoWe Fought on Opposite Sides of the Sheng Thao Recall. Here’s Why We’re Uniting Behind Barbara Lee for Oakland Mayor
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Activism4 weeks agoOakland Post: Week of March 5 – 11, 2025
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#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks agoRev. Dr. Jamal Bryant’s Black Church Target Boycott Mobilizes 150,000
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Activism2 weeks agoSan Francisco Is Investing Millions to Address Food Insecurity. Is Oakland Doing the Same?
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#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks agoTrump Moves to Dismantle Education Department
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#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks agoFighting to Keep Blackness
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#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Recently Approved Budget Plan Favors Wealthy, Slashes Aid to Low-Income Americans
