The Ada County Sheriff’s Office has removed its automated license-plate reader cameras from the city of Kuna after Mayor Joe Stear raised concerns that they were sowing “division” among residents.
Seven Axon “outpost” cameras, which use artificial intelligence to scan traffic and automatically pull license-plate data, came down across the city on Sept. 8, just two months after being installed, according to the sheriff’s office.
Across the Treasure Valley and the country, AI-powered surveillance technology has faced intense backlash over concerns around data security and privacy rights, with some Boise-area residents urging officials to ban the cameras, the Idaho Statesman has reported. In August, Kuna had at least two incidents of people vandalizing or stealing the license-plate readers, Emily Walker, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, told the Statesman Thursday…