Chapter 19B regulates City Departments’ acquisition and use of Surveillance Technology. Departments must obtain Board of Supervisors approval by ordinance of a Surveillance Technology Policy before acquiring or using new Surveillance Technology, among other requirements.

The current ordinance proposes a Surveillance Technology Policy for the use of social media monitoring software by multiple City departments to communicate with the public and make social media use more efficient for City staff.

The Surveillance Technology Policy for social media monitoring software will allow Departments to communicate efficiently with the public on existing social media platforms and provide information about City services.

The Board of Supervisors will approve the Surveillance Technology Policy ordinance if it determines that the benefits of the Surveillance Technology outweigh its costs, safeguard civil liberties and civil rights, and do not have a disparate impact on any community or Protected Class.

The approval process for the Surveillance Technology Policy includes submission of a Surveillance Impact Report by Departments to COIT, development of the policy by COIT based on this report, recommendations by COIT, and public hearings conducted by COIT and its Privacy and Surveillance Advisory Board.

Provisions for compliance and sanctions for violations are included in the ordinance, although specifics are not detailed in the provided sections.