AI Cameras Reshape New Zealand’s Public Spaces

The surveillance landscape in New Zealand: Artificial intelligence-enabled cameras and other surveillance technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent in public and private spaces across the country, raising questions about privacy and data security.

• AI-powered cameras are being deployed in various locations, including billboards, bus windshields, petrol stations, and supermarket checkouts, creating a network of surveillance points throughout urban areas.
• The adoption of these technologies has largely proceeded without significant public debate or scrutiny, although recent legal challenges and media reports have begun to shed light on the extent of surveillance.
• A recent court case in Auckland is examining the police use of footage from retail CCTV cameras linked to automated number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, highlighting the intersection of private and public surveillance networks.

Key surveillance technologies and their applications: Various forms of surveillance technology are being implemented across different sectors in New Zealand, each with its own specific use case and potential privacy implications.

• Bus-mounted cameras: San Francisco-based company Hayden AI has partnered with NEC New Zealand to market car-identifying cameras for use in bus windshields, aimed at improving road safety by detecting drivers violating bus lanes or crowding bus stops.
• Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems: Between 5,000 and 10,000 privately owned CCTV cameras across the country are linked to AI-enabled systems for recognizing number plates, with police having access to this network for criminal investigations.
• Airport facial recognition: Customs is continually upgrading its e-gate technology, using facial recognition to match travelers with their passports, with biometric data being retained for three months.
• Smart billboards: At least 1,400 high-tech billboards in New Zealand can tailor advertisements based on passersby, with some capable of number plate recognition for traffic counting purposes.
• Bodycams: While not yet adopted by police, bodycams are being used by prison guards and have been rolled out to nearly 200 Woolworths stores, with footage stored by a Singaporean company.

Government and private sector collaboration: The implementation of surveillance technologies often involves partnerships between government agencies and private companies, raising questions about data ownership and access.

• Public-private hybrid systems are being used by powerful state agencies, including the police and immigration authorities, with many camera systems capable of running facial recognition software.
• The National Ticketing Solution, which will allow nationwide public transport access via smartphone scanning, involves a partnership between the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Cubic, a company with a defense surveillance arm.
• NZTA has considered implementing ANPR cameras on the Transmission Gully motorway to monitor vehicle travel times, though this plan has been deferred as of July 2024.

Data collection beyond visual surveillance: In addition to camera-based systems, other forms of data collection and analysis are being employed to monitor and track individuals’ activities.

• Social media surveillance: The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has been using technology to monitor social media activity, ostensibly to deter people smugglers.
• Congestion charging and tolling systems: New cameras and back-office technology for these purposes will generate and store data on individuals’ movements, potentially in cloud computing centers outside of New Zealand.

Broader implications and concerns: The rapid expansion of surveillance technologies in New Zealand raises important questions about privacy, data security, and the balance between public safety and individual rights.

• While New Zealand’s level of surveillance is not as extensive as some other countries, the trend towards increased monitoring and data collection is clear and accelerating.
• The shift from public agencies owning and operating surveillance hardware to purchasing complete packages from tech companies raises concerns about data harvesting and storage practices.
• The concept of “surveillance-as-a-service” is emerging, mirroring the software-as-a-service model and potentially complicating issues of data ownership and control.

Looking ahead: Balancing security and privacy: As surveillance technologies continue to evolve and proliferate, New Zealand faces the challenge of striking a balance between leveraging these tools for public safety and protecting individual privacy rights.

• The lack of significant public debate on the expansion of surveillance technologies suggests a need for greater transparency and discussion about their implementation and implications.
• Recent legal challenges and media scrutiny may lead to increased oversight and regulation of surveillance practices in both public and private sectors.
• As New Zealand aligns itself with international efforts to counter the misuse of commercial spyware, it will need to carefully consider how its domestic surveillance practices align with these commitments.