Libertarian Party of Wisconsin Warns of Emerging “Big Brother” Infrastructure
The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin is warning that the rapid expansion of AI data centers and automated surveillance systems across Wisconsin represents the construction of a new “Big Brother” infrastructure before our very eyes.
Across the state, citizens are increasingly pushing back. Verona ended its Flock surveillance camera contract, while the Dane County Board voted to remove funding for Flock systems over privacy and civil liberties concerns. Meanwhile, communities such as Port Washington and DeForest have resisted major data center developments over concerns involving secrecy, subsidies, resource consumption, and lack of public oversight.
“These are not separate issues,” said Reese Wood, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin. “People are beginning to recognize that data centers and surveillance systems are part of the same emerging infrastructure. Surveillance systems gather the data. Data centers store, process, and analyze it.”
Despite often being described as license plate readers, Flock systems create searchable databases of vehicle movements and travel patterns. Wisconsin has already seen documented abuse of this technology. In Milwaukee, a police officer was criminally charged after allegedly using the Flock system nearly 200 times to track individuals for personal reasons.
“Supporters call it innovation,” Wood added. “Many Wisconsinites see something else: the physical foundation of a future where surveillance expands, privacy disappears, and increasingly powerful institutions collect and analyze more information about ordinary people than ever before.”
The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin supports technological innovation, but not at the expense of individual liberty. We call on elected officials throughout Wisconsin to prioritize transparency, strengthen privacy protections, and ensure that citizens, not governments, corporations, or algorithms, remain in control of their communities and their lives.
For more info on the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin, its principles and platform, as they relate to Flock surveillance systems and data centers, please visit www.lpwi.org .
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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