University’s policy on ID surveillance draws privacy concerns
The University of Texas at Austin is reviewing its policy of ID surveillance after being scrutinized for its “warrantless access to students’ whereabouts,” according to The Daily Texan.
UT Information Technology Services logs whenever a student or staff member swipes their UT ID to enter on-campus buildings such as residence halls and research science buildings. That information is stored and accessible to the UTPD without a warrant for 30 days.
This system has been put into practice on numerous occasions, “for life-safety events and criminal investigations,” according to UTPD spokesperson Cynthia Posey.
Even though it’s technically legal, advocates still oppose the university’s ID surveillance policy, asserting it to be unregulated and a violation of their privacy rights.
The University is reviewing these policies and considering requiring a subpoena to access the building access data.
Read the full story here.
