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The shift we need to stop mass surveillance

517,179 views | Albert Fox Cahn • TED2022

Mass surveillance is worse than you think, but the solutions are simpler than you realize, says lawyer, technologist and TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn. Breaking down the crude tactics law enforcement uses to sweep up massive amounts of data collected about us by our everyday tech, he lays out how new legal firewalls can protect the public from geofence warrants and other surveillance abuses -- and how we might end the looming dystopia of mass surveillance.

Mass surveillance is worse than you think, but the solutions are simpler than you realize, says lawyer, technologist and TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn. Breaking down the crude tactics law enforcement uses to sweep up massive amounts of data collected about us by our everyday tech, he lays out how new legal firewalls can protect the public from geofence warrants and other surveillance abuses -- and how we might end the looming dystopia of mass surveillance.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Albert Cahn

Anti-surveillance advocate

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TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn is an anti-surveillance advocate.

Surveillance Technology Oversight Project | Article

Albert Fox Cahn's S.T.O.P. biography

Learn more about Cahn and read his latest op-eds.

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The Facebook chat between a teen and her mom about an alleged abortion helped police build their case. Default end-to-end encryption would help others avoid their fate.

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When you install a surveillance device in your home or business, easy police access means you’re not necessarily the one doing the watching.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Join the fight to stop mass surveillance.

Learn more about the latest surveillance threats.