How We Fought For and Won Access to Records About Predictive Policing in General Escobedo, Mexico

The EFF’s investigation into Mexico’s use of predictive policing software reveals significant flaws in both the technology and bureaucratic transparency. By leveraging public records laws, researchers uncovered that the system relies on biased historical data, which risks exacerbating systemic discrimination against marginalized communities. This case highlights the danger of implementing algorithmic surveillance without addressing the inherent inequalities in the underlying data, a concern that applies globally as such tools increasingly cross borders. The process of obtaining this information exposed the absurdity of government bureaucracy, where officials initially claimed records did not exist and provided photo essays of empty searches. However, the appeal to the state’s transparency commission succeeded, demonstrating that robust open data frameworks can effectively check government power. This outcome underscores the critical role of independent oversight bodies in enforcing transparency when local agencies attempt to withhold accountability through denial or delay. This narrative is vital to open data discussions because it proves that legal mechanisms for public access can overcome obfuscation, even in complex international contexts. It emphasizes that true transparency requires not just the existence of laws, but the willingness of citizens and organizations to use them to expose how data is collected, analyzed, and utilized by the state. Without such open access, citizens remain unaware of how their data fuels potentially harmful surveillance practices, making legal avenues for data disclosure essential for democratic accountability.

Source: eff.org
Published on 2023-02-17

How We Fought For and Won Access to Records About Predictive Policing in General Escobedo, Mexico

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