Houston Report Launch Recording

On March 12th, we brought together a powerful mix of activists, artists and researchers to launch our Houston Diagnostic Report.

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Here are some of our main findings:

Webfilters

Audits have found that such tools often block access to essential student support resources, such as information about reproductive health, suicide prevention, and LGBTQ+ material.

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Shotspotter

By relying on historical gun crime data, this technology reinforces patterns of racist policing. The history of crime data is a reflection of who is policed, not necessarily who is commiting crimes.

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Vape Detectors

Such policies are part of a long and well documented history of the “school-to-prison pipeline”, and Black and Brown students experience disproportionate levels of punishment.

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Virtual Teaching

Issues of consent and data extraction will become more relevant, raising important questions about the hidden costs of students being heavily mediated by digital technologies.

"Discussing the report with our community was incredible. It was a great opportunity for people from various walks of life to find points of commonality and build relationships that will endure far beyond the report itself. By revealing systemic problems regarding digital surveillance and its impact on local communities, we've started a conversation that we hope can lead to transformational social change in the long run."

• Chelsea Barabas, our Research Associate & Houston Curator
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You can watch a recording of the Houston Report Launch event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgQh_R308iE

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