Source: ACLU of Northern California

The ACLU of Northern California reports on a lawsuit filed against major landlords in San Francisco alleged to be using AI-powered surveillance technologies to monitor tenants. The complaint asserts that the installation of sophisticated camera networks and data-gathering software in residential buildings violates tenants' privacy rights and local ordinances regarding surveillance. The ACLU argues that this constant digital monitoring creates a chilling effect, effectively harassing tenants in their own homes.

The lawsuit specifically targets the use of technologies that can track residents' movements, visitors, and daily habits, potentially feeding this data into algorithms used for lease renewals or evictions. The ACLU emphasizes that tenants should not be forced to trade their civil liberties for housing. The case seeks an injunction to stop these practices and damages for the affected residents, aiming to establish clear legal boundaries for the use of "prop-tech" in the housing sector.