NEW YORK, NY — The New York City Council has passed a sweeping legislative package to strengthen oversight of NYPD surveillance technology, expanding upon the foundational 2020 Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act. The new laws — Intros 168, 233, and 480 — were introduced and championed by Majority Leader Amanda Farías, Council Member Crystal Hudson, and Council Member Julie Won, and represent a significant leap forward in accountability, public transparency, and protection of civil liberties.

“New Yorkers deserve to know how they’re being surveilled, who has access to their data, and what safeguards are in place,” said Council Majority Leader Amanda Farías, prime sponsor of Intro 168. “This legislative package marks a historic step toward transparency and civilian oversight of powerful policing technologies. It ensures that public trust, not secrecy, governs how surveillance is used in our city.”

The original POST Act, enacted in 2020, was designed to bring public accountability to the NYPD’s use of surveillance technology. However, subsequent audits by the Department of Investigation revealed persistent gaps in compliance, lack of detailed reporting, and ongoing use of surveillance tools without full public disclosure. The expanded legislative package passed this week closes those loopholes and introduces new mechanisms for oversight.

Intro 168 (Farías) empowers the Department of Investigation (DOI) to request a detailed, itemized list of all surveillance technologies in use by the NYPD. It also requires biannual reporting on technologies acquired or retired, including access and retention policies, ensuring NYPD compliance with updated standards.

Intro 233 (Hudson) mandates the NYPD publish a clear, publicly accessible policy regulating the use of facial recognition technology. It also requires biannual audits of the NYPD’s facial recognition use, with the results reported to DOI and posted online.

Intro 480 (Won) significantly expands the surveillance Impact and Use Policies (IUPs required under the original POST Act by:

  • Requiring disclosure of all outside entities that receive data from NYPD surveillance tools.
  • Mandating an explanation of safeguards in place for each entity receiving data.
  • Requiring reporting on physical safety risks and disparate impacts on protected communities.
  • Creating an internal tracking system to document all intergovernmental data sharing.
  • Disclosing all outside entities that receive data from NYPD surveillance technologies.

“The increased use of facial recognition technology in recent years has led to wrongful arrests for many New Yorkers, but especially for Black and brown communities who are disproportionately affected by incorrect identifications and prejudices in the legal system. The POST Act is a vital step toward holding the NYPD accountable for the harm caused by their lack of transparency and accountability,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson, prime sponsor of Intro 233. “These bills will enforce increased protections against misused surveillance technology and highlight the New York City Council’s commitment to prioritizing privacy rights for all New Yorkers.”

“In a time where our constitutional and privacy rights are uncertain, Intro. 480 will ensure NYPD surveillance practices are held accountable to the public. As New York City residents, we deserve to know how we are being tracked, what surveillance tools are being used, and when our data is being shared,” said Council Member Julie Won. “My bill, along with the full package of legislation amending the POST Act, safeguards us from potential safety risks and diminishing civil rights.”

“As Chair of the Council’s Technology Committee, I’ve been deeply invested in strengthening the POST Act because the NYPD has made it clear they will not regulate themselves. Time and again, we’ve seen a pattern of secrecy, noncompliance, and disregard for public input. I was proud to co-chair the hearings on this package and help ensure they moved forward. These bills are a direct response to that lack of accountability, and they’re a necessary step toward protecting New Yorkers from unchecked surveillance and abuse,” said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, Chair of the Committee on Technology. 

“The NYPD has a history of using surveillance tools against New Yorkers, especially communities of color, with very little oversight or accountability. We’re grateful to City Council for passing vital legislation to provide greater transparency into the NYPD’s use of surveillance technologies. The wide-ranging support these bills have received from the Department of Investigation, the NYPD, and civil society proves that robust oversight and accountability for police use of surveillance technology is just as possible as it is popular,” said the Brennan Center for Justice.

“Surveillance transparency was always crucial, but it’s more vital than ever now that President Trump and ICE are trying to deputize local police departments against their critics and immigrant families,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Legal Director David Siffert. “The Department of Investigation clearly articulated how NYPD’s initial POST Act reports were inadequate, and this legislation will require actual transparency in surveillance technology reporting.  Transparency is an important first step towards dismantling systems of Orwellian mass surveillance in New York and the United States. As New Yorkers better understand how our taxes are fueling spying on our neighbors, they will be better positioned to stand up for their privacy rights.

“If the NYPD followed the law, we wouldn’t need these bills,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “Transparency will never be enough to stop these abuses, but today is another important step towards dismantling the NYPD’s multi-billion dollar surveillance system. We must tell the NYPD ‘hands off our data.’”

Together, these three bills solidify New York City’s position as a national leader in surveillance oversight and data privacy. They also reinforce the Council’s commitment to protecting civil liberties while balancing public safety with community rights.

Media Contacts
For Majority Leader Amanda Farías: Nathalie Levey, nlevey@council.nyc.gov

For Council Member Crystal Hudson: Kayla Burney, kburney@council.nyc.gov 

For Council Member Julie Won: Jenna Laing, JLaing@council.nyc.gov