“I think Google Home tracks me (LOL)” - Councillor Dale Bass

With an overwhelming outpouring of concern, and a win for your privacy, Kamloops residents have spoken. The recent open survey on the Kamloops.ca website for the supplementary budget items recorded an unprecedented engagement from the local community.

Read the original post here: https://kamloopscsc.org/home/b/your-garbage---your-privacy

Kamloops Citizens Vote Against the Garbage Scanning

Over 80% of respondents said NO to the proposed AI garbage scanning system.

Council voted down the budget for the AI technology 6 to 3.

Councillors who voted against this measure are:

• Mike O'Reilly

• Katie Neustaeter

• Bill Sarai

• Kelly Hall

• Margot Middleton

• Reid Hamer Jackson

Councillors who voted for the technology are:

• Stephen Karpuk

• Nancy Bepple

• Dale Bass

Highlights

Disappointingly, none of council brought up privacy as a serious concern highlighting the city's lack of consideration for privacy and individual liberties in its development plans.

Council and staff noted the overwhelming response from the public, but has written off public opinion as "uneducated" and unfounded concerns over privacy. Staff indicated this system would be used in the future to achieve levels approaching 100% compliance, and confirmed the system can be expanded to other uses in the future (one of the main concerns of the technology).

Bill Sarai "Can this be expanded to organics? Will there be an opportunity to look at other sources of waste later in the future?"

Glen Farrow (Manager): "Will there be a potential to use this for other things like organics in the future? Potentially, but not right now. Our contamination rate is higher than other communities and we want to reduce it to 3%, but even when we get there to that goal the opportunity will exist to reduce it further."

Dale Bass: "I have had so many people telling me that were going to be scanning their houses, including some people that are close to me, friends, and so we really need to watch our communications. We need to work on education. There are an aweful lot of people out there who think that this is ... and ill be honest with you, im skeptical of the technology, but im trusting you Marcia"

Mayor Hamer-Jackson: "They told us they were going to track us with our phones, and that never happened, did it?"

Dale Bass: "I think google home tracks me" (lol)

Nancy Bepple: "The recycling that goes tot he curb is the property of the city, so we are scanning our garbage... er recycling. Its not garbage its recycling. Can we invest the money we save on this into swing sets?"

Katie Neustaeter: "I'm not scared that anyone is spying on me through my garbage, that's not a very high concern for me around the technology. I think this can be good, but I am concerned we need an education campaign. I'm concerned moving ahead with this feels like ramming government down peoples throat. The vast majority of people said know and I think that's because of education. I'm on the 'Not Now Camp' I would love to see this come back next year"

Kelly Hall: "I struggle with this, but not the fact that its needed, the timing. I think the technology is great, as we move forward its something we can embrace, but I'd like to see the current data with new and improved collections"

Watch the full video here:

KCSC will continue to bring to light privacy issues with new technologies the city is considering adopting. One day we hope city and council will consider a 'Digital Bill of Rights' for Kamloops citizens as part of their mandate.