ACLU report: Baltimore police used social media aggregator during unrest

BALTIMORE —Police in Baltimore and around the nation have come under fire recently for using tech tools for surveillance, and the issue came up again this week after the American Civil Liberties Union highlighted the Police Department's use of an aggregator called Geofeedia.

The report came from the ACLU Northern California, and included marketing materials from the company touting its successful use in Baltimore.

The ACLU of Northern California dropped a bombshell in its report this week, claiming a social media monitoring service from the start-up Geofeedia is a form of surveillance technology, which can have a disproportionate impact on minority communities.

David Rocah, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Maryland, said it can also have a chilling effect on free speech.

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